Ugandan singer Spice Diana has expressed disappointment over the recent meeting between creatives and President Yoweri Museveni, saying the engagement failed to address the real challenges artists face in their daily work.
Speaking in a recent interview, the singer said she had expected the discussions to focus more on structural solutions that could help creatives earn sustainably rather than relying on short-term support.
According to Spice Diana, one of the biggest missed opportunities was addressing restrictions that require Ugandans to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access Facebook, which she says has greatly affected artists’ online reach and income.
“The meeting between creatives and the president… I expected things like removing VPN from Facebook,” she said. “I remember a time when I used to get a million views on Facebook, but it’s not possible now because of VPN.”
For an industry that increasingly depends on digital platforms for promotion and monetization, the singer believes restoring normal access to platforms like Facebook would significantly boost opportunities for Ugandan artists.
“That alone is a structure that works for us all,” she explained. “It’s something we can earn from for a long time, not like the handouts people receive whether you have seen the president or not.”
Spice Diana also pointed to the need for better organization and infrastructure within the creative sector, saying many artists invest heavily in their craft without sufficient support systems.
“Being a creative you invest so much,” she said. “If the government is to help creatives, they should first organize where they work from.”
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