Following the release of the proposed regulations for all artists in Uganda early last year, the Uganda Comedians Association (TUCA) alongside other bodies held a meeting with the State Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development Hon. Peace Mutuuzo on January 22, 2019.
At the end of the meeting the minister assured the entertainment stakeholders that she had taken their suggestions into consideration and promised them that they would be engaged in the formulation of the laws governing the industry.
To their dismay, the Minister did not keep her word and the proposed regulations were turned into laws under the Ministry of Technology which they believe is not in line with the Ministry of Arts and Culture.
“To be honest, majority of the articles in the law are outlandish and only fall short of being an embarrassment to the framers of the law. These articles are impediment to the growth of arts and culture in Uganda,” stated a document released by TUCA
“We therefore out rightly reject and denounce, in the strongest terms possible, the newly passed laws to govern Arts and Culture in Uganda. The regulations included in the law are untenable and will only stifle the Arts and culture in Uganda. We say you have put a dagger through our chests,” TUCA added.
However the dissatisfied TUCA also suggested the government to engage them in the formulation of the proper laws to govern Arts and Culture.
“The stakeholders surely deserve a say in a sector that is now a big employer of mainly the youth as well as a source of revenue to the country in form of taxes paid by our members and the various clearance fees paid for staging events,” TUCA stated