Parliament has declined to pass Shs 33.57bn that had been requested to set up recording studios in the different parts of Uganda, citing the opposition from some of the artistes who expressed concerns relating to accountability.
Last month, the Parliamentary Committee on Gender, Labor and Social Development recommended that Parliament allocates the Shs 33.57bn to Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC).
The sum had been requested by UNCC for the studios, to carry out a feasibility study for developing the land where the national theatre sits, as well as clear its (UNCC) wage bill arrears.
However, while appearing before Parliament’s Budget Committee, MP Florence Kabahenda who chairs the Committee on Gender, Labor and Social Development told members that a section of musicians have expressed anger concerning how this money will be utilized once released.
She asked that the Committee defers the disbursement of the said funds.
“It has brought a lot of contention from the artistes. And as a committee, we said we can stay the Shs 30bn for now, until the Ministry of Gender comes up with the comprehensive plans on how they are going to establish the regional studios,” Kabahenda told the Committee.
MPs also cited the lack of accountability, on the part of UNCC, for the Shs 7.6bn allocated by Parliament towards organizing virtual concerts during the lockdown.
Singer Racheal Magoola who doubles as Woman MP for Bugweri county raised the contentious issue of money that was during the lockdown allocated to the industry to organize virtual concerts.
“No artiste will tell you that they benefitted from that money. It went through UNCC,” she said.
Magoola was opposed to disbursing the 33bn to UNCC but rather proposed that the funds be repurposed as cheap credit that creatives can borrow from their SACCO.
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Singer Hilderman who represents Mawokota North in Parliament however noted that this money is very much needed in an industry that lacks high tech equipment for filming, audio studios to match those in Nollywood or Hollywood.
“Ugandan creatives are not able to compete globally due to lack of this infrastructure. It’s wrong to chase away this money simply because some artistes have concerns. It’s the government to empower and shape the industry,” Hilderman said.
A section of musicians including Bebe Cool have recently opposed the proposal to pour Shs 33bn into building studios, claiming it isn’t the priority for the industry at the moment.
“I don’t think I can support the government to inject Shs 33bn in studios. I think priority should be given to UPRS (Uganda Performing Rights Society) and the program that monitors music airplay, to help artistes track their airplay, so they can get their royalties,” Bebe Cool told Plugged recently.
“That way, when you set up the studios their works will be of value to them. But if you establish these studios now, and the art they will create from these studios will not generate revenue for them, it is similar to washing clothes and laying them in the dirt to dry,” he added.
