Stakeholders in Uganda’s Cultural and Creative Industry have urged the government of Uganda to continue supporting the art and entertainment industries in order to develop more jobs for the modern population and export Ugandan culture around the world.
Philip Luswata, a Lecturer at Makerere University and re-known actor in Uganda said government should consider how to support content creators such as filmmakers and TikTokers that promote Uganda’s unique culture.
According to Luswata, government can assist content makers in thinking critically and producing standard content that can compete in the international market.
Phina Mugerwa, the General Secretary of the Uganda Musicians Association said the government needs to promote education and training for capacity building in order for the art industry to prosper.
She went on to say that government policy on the arts business should be modified, including a constitutional amendment, because the old laws governing the industry are no longer effective.
The director of TASSLES Films, Barbra Atusasiire, has also urged African governments to assist local content creators by creating and safeguarding markets for their products.
“We have advocated for it, but we haven’t seen it in the creative industry.” As Africans, we should use our unique perspectives to tell our own narrative, leaving the Western perspective behind,” Atusasiire added.
Naumo Juliana Akoryo, the commissioner of culture and family affairs in the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development in Uganda, commended women for actively participating in the cultural and creative industry, stating that they are making round-table meetings with the government to continue supporting the industry.
The stakeholders made remarks during the two-day ongoing Kampala Geopolitics Conference held on October 17, 2023 at Makerere University.
The Kampala Geopolitics Conference was held in partnership with the Embassy of France,
Makerere University, UN Women, and the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs among others.
