Development of Buddhism in Uganda: Successes, Failures and Opportunities

Jacob Waiswa  Buganga,
Peace Psychologist - Associated Projects Research
Peace and Conflict Centre,
Department of Religious and Peace Studies,
Makerere University,
Kampala-Uganda

Introduction
There existed behavioural aspects, philosophies, educational fields that either borrowed or shared critical aspects of Buddhism, like meditation and yoga, on which some aspects of our culture, personal and community expectations thrived on.

Purpose: to establish the successes, failures, and opportunities of Buddhism in Uganda.

Specific Objectives: to find out how Buddhism took root in Uganda, to identify its successes, challenges, and opportunities.

Findings
Buddhism Roots in Uganda: Buddhism was officially introduced in Uganda in 2005, and the first non-government organisation to work under it was the Uganda Buddhist Centre. It originally had its offices in Kawempe, a Kampala City subburb, but because of its pollutant nature, through noise and poor sanitation, it relocated to a more serene place in Entebbe, Wakiso District, which became a permanent home for Buddhism in Uganda under the guidance of Venerable Buddharakhita Bhante, the monk of African decent. He was able to reach out to local intereted persons, tourists, and expertriates who time and again visited the centre for purification and self-rediscovery.

Successes: it gave participants and associates an insight about Buddhism doctrine and and practice and dispelled alot of negative assumptions about it; provided room for all categories of people: the monks, nuns, novices, lay men, physiotherapist, psychotherapists, nutritionists, alternatitive medical practitioners, and researchers, whose interests were consistent with those of Buddhism. It provided different diagnostic solutions to numerous ailments; developed greater abilities to cope when faced with internal and external conflict or stress, could see the world in the most positive way, Buddhist as symbol of universital unity.  There was a steady rise of Buddhist ideals between 2006 and 2010; it struck highest in 2010, and steadily lost momentum through 2011 to date.
Challenges: there was lack of local leadership to organise and facilitate their interests to grow further; personally despite growing need. Buddhism was yet to contrubute fully to eradication of poverty, crime, disease, corruption, laziness, addictions, famine, long drought seasons, degration of the environment. The most impacted and extensive partnership was with the institute of integrated and alternative medicine (47%), followed by Butabika mental hospital (22%), and the Nairobi conference (15), respectively. Community engagement and development was lowest (2%).

Opportunities: Buddhism thus has huge strides to make in our beloved country, Uganda to helpe address the huge developments gaps left behind by government and its development partners. Buddhism was highly permeable because of it all-embracing and all-respecting nature. Aspects of it have been time and again borrowed and integrated in other cultures and traditions. In fact, in all areas it went, it got traditionalized with high flexibility. With the present national problems, Buddhism finds itself only fertile ground to provide a lasting solution to them. But also individuals and national successes through industry, expressions of kindness and patience, expressions of compassionate love, are so irresistible and infectious that Buddhism finds itself as the future ideology.

Conclusion: the biggest challenge at hand was lack of local leadership in this country to organize community interests and direct them for the general good for which Buddhism stands. Micro strategies like partnerships and networking with strong local organizations with strong structures and implementation teams was most viable given the limited funding base and lack of human capital. . There is, thus, a need to provide leadership and funding to the Buddhist interests in Uganda so that its presence can be felt truly by the local communities.