It has been 2 months since I’ve last been in Kampala. I arrive at one of my favourite coffee cafés in town to meet a friend. Since I haven’t seen him in a while I rush in, looking for his face in the crowd. But suddenly I feel I am being pulled back. I look down and see the hem of my coat caught in the hand of a lady dressed in dark blue camouflage. In her other hand she holds a gun...

I suppose the dark blue means it is a uniform and that she is a security officer. So, I am not being robbed in front of a popular place in town – though she pulling me back a bit rude. Also, I am somewhat surprised, because I am quite certain there was no security last time I was here.

She points at my bag. I guess it has to be opened for her to take a look. She then points at the table. So I guess my bag has to go there...? Why can’t she just say hello and ask me – or tell me even – what I am supposed to do? She first scans my clothes for any hidden weapons. Legs wide, arms open. Then she checks by back. Then the side pocket. Then the other side pocket. Then the front side pocket. She still hasn’t spoken a word and I am now getting slightly annoyed.

I meet my friend inside and ask him what this is all about. I always humbly submitted to security checks when entering a ministry, but a café...

Two words from him: Al-Shabab.

Of course, how could I possibly forget?

On the day the Spanish beat the Dutch in the finals of the World Cup, bombs exploded in an Ethiopian Restaurant (popular among foreigners) and in the Kyadondo Rugby Club, where people had gathered to watch the game. Sixty people were killed. The bombings were claimed by the Somali militant group al-Shabab, for Ugandan’s military involvement in Somalia under African Union mandate.

My friend tells how the bombings have affected daily life in Kampala. Security measures are visible everywhere. Many Ugandans still fear to leave the house at night. Some of the popular night clubs have remained empty for some time. Social gatherings are avoided. His friend is getting married and they are supposed to have the ‘preparation meetings’ for fund raising. However, many cancelled and said they should really stay home for safety. “The pictures in the news papers were so, so bad, that it will take a while before things are back to normal,” he says, “We simply didn’t expect this would happen in Uganda.”

Later that day I discuss the matter with a professor at Makerere University. He acknowledges the threat from al-Shabab, but also underlines the fact that security was already tightening up due to the forthcoming elections in March 2011. “The police has so many uniforms nowadays, you can hardly distinguish police from the military! It looks like we are living in a police state!” And as my friend had said 'The timing of these bomb blasts couldn't have been better timed, nice pretext for any measure restricting the people.'