Blogging in Uganda (Part 3): The Kampalan

Guide books are great for what they are, but when you are looking for something that is off the beaten path, it might be better to put that book down and reach for the keyboard.

The Kampalan is a blog about Kampala, obviously. What is extrodinary is that it is a collaborative blog put together by a group of bloggers (I counted nine) in the city who seem to be known to each other. And this group is a real mix too, with the bazungu making up a decent percentage. A mashup blog for a mashup city. Any member can post to the blog. The mandate is simple: "Everything you need to know to have fun in Kampala, put together by people who know how to have fun."

And they are doing a great job delivering the content too, or at least they were when they were still posting. The last entry was October 25th. There are a couple of entries on wifi spots in the city, break dance classes at Sharing Hall in Nsambya, and a hilarious comment about the cantenna (a mythical wifi antenna made out of tin cans). There is also one entry in which a gay blogger is introduced to the community. In a country where homosexuality is a crime (read more on that here), that is a pretty bold step.

The fact that the bloggers seem to be known to each other both helps and hurts. On the one hand there is a tone of familiarity in the posts and comments. This gives The Kampalan a casual tone as well as a liberal demeanor. On the flip side, a number of the references are esoteric, with no references for the layman. This might be due to the fact that the bloggers may be the only people regularly using the blog, but I am only speculating.

Check out for yourself

The Contributors:

• Dennis Matanda
• Hannah
• Iwaya
• Nate
• Nathan
• Nisi Colin
• Rebekah
• Scarlett Lion
• The 27th Comrade