2.1 Billion Shillings Set to Boost Northern Creatives with Data Registry Initiative"

Gulu – The WALK Creative Arts Foundation is set to receive 2.1 billion UGX for the first phase of the 2024-2025 financial year from the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development. This funding will be used to establish a data registry for the creative arts sector in Northern Uganda.

The WALK Creative Arts Foundation, which is the first of its kind in the region, aims to create employment opportunities in the underdeveloped creative industry. The foundation also seeks to promote the cultural heritage of Northern Uganda through various art forms, as well as establish modern art hubs, studios, theaters, and music centers. They plan to develop strategies to raise the profile of Northern Uganda's creatives both locally and internationally.

Mr. Aboda Solomon, interim chairperson of the WALK Creative Arts Foundation, explained that the 2.1 billion UGX will help register all nine domains of the creative arts, which include music, performing arts, films, arts and crafts, books and publicity, culture and natural heritage, support services, media, and collective societies.

Dr. Solomon added that once the data registry is completed, the WALK Foundation will hold extensive training sessions aimed at addressing the financial illiteracy that many creatives face. This initiative will help them better manage their finances and enhance their professionalism in the industry.

“These funds will also be used to support the agricultural sector, particularly coffee farming. Through a partnership with Operation Wealth Creation, 2.5 million coffee seedlings will be provided to creatives, helping them diversify their incomes and reduce reliance on the music industry,” said Mr. Aboda.

The foundation will focus on four sub-regions of Northern Uganda: West Nile, Acholi, Lango, and Karamoja. Representatives have been appointed for each region, including Adewale Bakole (West Nile), Pamela Peace (Acholi), Atine Maros (Lango), and Mr. Luku-Tang Alex, aka MC Gray (Karamoja).

Mr. Aboda Solomon also expressed his frustration over the unequal distribution of post-COVID recovery funds. Despite 30 billion UGX being allocated for creatives, he said, most of it has been channeled to Kampala-based creatives, with little to no support reaching those in Northern Uganda. This gap led to the formation of the WALK Foundation.

“We formed WALK to ensure Northern creatives benefit from such initiatives,” Aboda added.

In the 2024-2025 financial year, the Uganda Music Federation, through the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, is set to allocate 5 billion UGX to boost the country's creative industry. The WALK Foundation has requested 2.1 billion UGX to fund the data registry project for Northern creatives.

Ms. Sylvia Damalie Owori, Director of Operation Wealth Creation, has expressed confidence that these funds will help identify and register all creatives in Northern Uganda, allowing the government to plan better and recognize their talents.

“We have presented a proposal worth 49 billion UGX to Operation Wealth Creation. It’s now up to us, the creatives of the North, to convince the government to release these funds,” Owori said.

She also appealed to stakeholders in Northern Uganda to support the WALK Foundation's efforts to mobilize and sensitize the creative community about the importance of data registration. Many talented individuals still remain in local communities without proper recognition.

Owori further emphasized the importance of embracing commercial agriculture, such as coffee farming, as a means to supplement creative incomes. “The government is ready to support the region, and coffee, being a high-value crop, presents a viable opportunity,” she stated.

However, despite these hopeful developments, some creatives in the Acholi subregion, led by Kilama George William, aka Keddy Face, and Layeng Aggrey Fortune, aka Laxzy Mover, have raised concerns over the transparency of the WALK Foundation’s leadership.

Kilama George William expressed doubts about the foundation’s structure, calling it a “fraudulent initiative” that lacks proper accountability. He has vowed to meet with Gen. Salim Saleh to seek greater transparency and inclusion of all creatives from Northern Uganda.

“We are concerned about the leadership of WALK and why OWC directors are the principal signatories to the SACCO account. They should be supporting us, not controlling our finances,” Kilama said.

Laxzy Mover has raised questions about funds collected from association members and individual creatives, totaling over 1 million UGX. He claims that these funds were not properly accounted for and may have been misused.

“If our demands for transparency are not met, we will take legal action,” Laxzy warned.

According to reports from the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and the World Bank, the creative arts sector contributes approximately 1.6 billion US dollars annually to Uganda’s economy, with the potential to generate up to 75% of the country's jobs and revenue in the future.

The development of the creative arts sector in Northern Uganda is expected to provide a significant boost to both the local economy and cultural preservation efforts.

SOURCE: tndNews