As a way of streamlining and promote sanity in the art and entertainment industry in Uganda, the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology and National Guidance and the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) came up with rules called ‘The Stage Play and Public Entertainment Rules 2019’.
The regulations were passed last year but were delayed due to Covid-19 effect. Now, government is looking forward to starting to implement them very soon. However, musicians, comedians, actors/actresses, and other performing artistes have been left cursing saying the conditions are not favourable at all and that they are meant to kick them out of business.
“The rules were enacted without our presence yet we are the stakeholders in this business. We are not against them but it would have been good if we were also called and give in our thoughts because we are stakeholders,” said Mariam Ndagire actress, film director, and film producer.
Here are the tough conditions set for artistes;
1. An actor or a musician to carry out any show or to perform in any show must first seek permission from the committee which will be formed by both UCC and Ministry of ICT, the committee will decide the amount one will pay to be given that permission.
2. A special committee has been formed to analyze any play or a song or a film Before premiering it or recording it from the studio the committee must first go through it and if any changes do happen, still the committee must be informed.
3. A play or song be it a film written in local languages before going to the committee to get permission one must first rewrite or translate them in English.
4. Video/film producers, photographers who take photos of artists before doing any business with artists, they must first seek permission from the committee.
5. A musician before recording any video of the approved song has to first seek permission from the committee and also must inform the committee of the venue he/she is going to record from and even must include in all materials to be used in the video.
6. It will be a crime for any artist to perform in any show or in the public without a license from the ministry of ICT.
7. A committee may be forced to ask a musician or a video/film producer a ransom before recording the video so that she/he does not break the laws and guidelines the committee has given them to follow while recording the video.
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