Uganda Music Association elects new leadership

Replacing Ykee Benda as vice-president and joining the board for the first time is singer Cindy Sanyu. Ykee Benda succeeds Sophie Gombya who resigned in July to pursue a political career.

The UMA swearing-in ceremony was held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on 8 September and hosted various stakeholders.

During their term, Gombya and Ykee Benda played an active role in lobbying the government to instate a commission of inquiry into the Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS). They also launched a welfare fund of musicians and campaigned for artists to register with the association.

At the ceremony, Ykee Benda took the opportunity to request that the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development speed up the allocation process of a 6.6 billion Ugandan shilling ($1.8m) COVID-19 relief fund that was received from the African Development Bank.

In May, the National Culture and Creative Industries Forum (NCCIF) petitioned the Ugandan government to establish a fund to support the recovery of the sector, and the following month President Yoweri Museveni directed the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the Ministry of Education and Sports to identify the beneficiaries for the fund.

"I want to officially tell you that as it stands, we are still waiting for the official communication on how the funds will be shared with the cultural and creative industry," Ykee Benda said. "Therefore, when the time comes, the media shall aid in this activity. We want to appeal to the president and the task force that we are in a terrible state financially. Therefore, he should reinstate public performances. We will have a meeting and ensure that artists and promoters adhere to any standard operating procedure required."

Meanwhile, UPRS will hold its first AGM on 12 September since two of its officials were suspended in July last year by the Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB) for alleged mismanagement of funds and remittance of royalties. 

The UPRS will now work closely with UMA to ensure that artists are remunerated for their work. James Wasula was reinstated as executive officer while musician Moses Matovu was named chairperson of the advisory board. A new UPRS website was launched last week and the registration of artists and their works is set to commence soon.

"UPRS got a new website, which will be used to register all artists," Ykee Benda said. "Previously registered members will also have to reregister. We shall let you know when the registration will begin. After the registration process is closed, a board to run the UPRS will be elected. So don't fail to register because you need to have a say on this body."