The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Chris Baryomunsi has revealed
plans by President Museveni to secure the revival of Ndere cultural center, that is shrinking in debt.

Speaking during a media presser on September 25, 2024, at the Uganda
Media Center, Kampala, Baryomunsi, disclosed that the President had
directed the Ministry of Finance to start the process of redeeming Ndere
Cultural Centre.

“The government has accepted to come in and rescue Ndere Centre and
has instructed the Ministry of Finance to work out mechanisms on how
Ndere Centre can be supported,” Baryomunsi said.

“I can confirm that the government has committed to support Ndere Centre so
that we don’t lose it since it is a strategic resource that provides a good service to Uganda. Therefore we shall support Ndere Centre and Mr. Rwangyezi,” he added.

The Ndere center which was founded by Stephen Rwangyezi in 1984 as a
cultural organization for universal unity through music, dance, and drama
now faces extinction after the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) issued a 30
days’ notice to the center over failure to pay Shs 4.6 billion in bank debt.

Rwangyezi’s failure to pay back the debt accumulated to Shs10 billion since
then and the property was lined up for foreclosure since it was used as
collateral to secure the loan that was taken out from the bank about 5
years ago.

The directive serves as a response to Rwangyezi’s appeal to President
Museveni for a financial bailout or intervention to persuade the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) to grant him more time to recover the Shs 4.6
billion debt.