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Ugandan events promoter Abtex has reported State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Balaam Barugahara to anti-corruption authorities over the controversial funds the government gave to event promoters.

Abtex says Balaam should explain what happened to the money that was meant to support the entertainment industry.

According to him, officials later ordered promoters to return the funds, yet no one clearly explained the situation.

He also addressed the recent debate about why promoters created two separate SACCO groups.

Abtex said the groups help organize promoters and improve transparency when handling financial support for industry players.

He also demanded accountability over funds linked to the E-Concert 2021.

I want Balaam to give us the accountability for the E-Concert in 2021.

Abtex’s remarks have sparked fresh debate, with several promoters calling for clear answers on how the industry funds were handled.

Veteran singer and legislator Rachel Magoola has spoken about the challenges facing Uganda’s creative economy, saying the sector is far bigger than many people think.

While appearing on the NBS After 5 program, the lawmaker explained that music receives most of the attention but contributes only about 0.5 percent of the entire creative sector.

Magoola said the industry also includes film, fashion, theatre, writing, media, and many other creative professions.

She stressed the need for stronger copyright laws to protect artists and ensure they earn fairly from their work.

According to her, many creatives receive very little in royalties because collection currently happens from only a small number of venues.

Many bars and entertainment spots play music, but they do not contribute to royalty collection. This is why some artistes end up receiving as little as UGX 60,000.

Magoola also revealed that she is helping to re-draft Uganda’s national cultural policy together with the National Planning Authority and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.

The policy aims to strengthen the creative sector, attract investment, and create better support systems for artistes across the country.

She also highlighted the role of intellectual property, saying properly registered works could help creatives secure bank loans and grow their businesses.

Magoola further proposed the creation of a Creative Industry Council that would coordinate training, licensing, royalty collection, and tax support.

Uganda’s creative economy is vast and full of potential. But to fully realize it, we need structured systems, proper copyright enforcement, and recognition of every creator’s contribution.

Ugandan media consultant Joel Isabirye has explained why the government has historically given little attention to the country’s creative sector.

While appearing on NBS After 5, Isabirye said Uganda focused on other priorities during its early development years.

Uganda is a developing economy. Early government priorities focused on infrastructure, agriculture, and industrial growth.

Because of that focus, sectors such as sports and the creative arts received limited attention, which slowed investment and policy support.

To illustrate how creative work can generate income, Isabirye pointed to global platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where creators earn money when their content attracts audiences.

The principle is simple: if your work creates income, you deserve to be paid.

He also used NBS Television as an example while discussing the importance of protecting intellectual property.

Isabirye recalled a case where Al Jazeera aired footage of a boat accident that NBS TV originally filmed, prompting the station to issue a notice to protect its content.

According to him, the situation reflects the same challenge many artists face.

When media houses, platforms, or businesses use creative work to generate revenue, the creator should receive payment.

Isabirye added that copyright protection should extend across the entire creative sector, including television, digital content, and other creative productions.

Ugandan fashion model and activist Judith Heard has opened up about the addiction and personal struggles she hid behind her glamorous socialite lifestyle.

In a message shared online, Heard revealed that while the public saw the glamour and spotlight of her life, she was privately battling difficult experiences.

For many years, the world saw the image, the glamour, the spotlight, the life that seemed beautiful on the outside. But behind the scenes, I was fighting battles that few people knew about.

Those struggles, she said, gradually pushed her life in a painful direction.

Addiction, pain, and broken choices slowly pulled my life into darkness. There came a moment when I realized I could not continue living that way.

Heard explained that what felt like the lowest moment of her life eventually became the turning point that led her toward healing and faith.

What looked like the end of my story was actually the beginning of something new. In my lowest place, I encountered the mercy of God. That encounter began a journey of healing, surrender, and rebuilding my life piece by piece.

Today, the former socialite says her life now centers on purpose.

My story is no longer defined by shame. It is defined by purpose.

Through her ministry, House of Mercy, Heard says she hopes to encourage others who may be facing similar struggles.

I hope to remind people that no one is too far gone for restoration. What God has done in my life, He can do for anyone willing to begin again.

Heard’s transformation unfolded gradually during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when she also navigated a divorce and began reflecting on the direction of her life.

By mid 2022, she publicly confirmed that she had stepped away from her socialite lifestyle to focus on spirituality and social causes.

Her journey later reached a major milestone when she was baptized on January 26, 2025 at Victory Church.

In early 2026, Heard formally launched House of Mercy as the main focus of her ministry and outreach work.