What began as an online discussion about fashion and music quickly evolved into a national conversation on jobs, innovation and the future of Uganda’s economy, as legendary musician Bebe Cool joined Uganda International Fashion Week (UIFW) Founder and President Santa Anzo for an engaging X Space hosted by award-winning journalist Canary Mugume.
Held under the theme “The Business Behind Fashion: Creative Industries as Catalysts for Uganda’s Economic Development,” the discussion formed part of the countdown to the return of Uganda International Fashion Week, scheduled to take place from 31st August to 5th September 2026.
Drawing on more than three decades in music, Bebe Cool argued that creativity is one of Uganda’s greatest untapped economic assets.
“Europe and America have managed creating jobs for their citizens using sports and creativity. Human beings love to be challenged mentally, and that sparks creativity. From creativity comes ideas, innovation, employment and ultimately economic development,” he said.
He described the creative sector as one of the few industries capable of employing thousands of people regardless of academic qualifications, emphasizing that it offers a guaranteed pathway to self-employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable careers.
Bebe Cool urged government to give greater attention to the creative economy, particularly Uganda International Fashion Week, noting that Santa Anzo has largely carried the vision almost single-handedly for many years and that initiatives of this nature deserve stronger national support. He also encouraged Ugandans to have greater confidence in their own talent and abilities.
“The government can’t employ more than 10% of its citizens, but the creative industry can employ at least 40%. It opens doors for many other sectors. We must believe in ourselves. Look at the Ghetto Kids. They proved Ugandan talent can compete globally.”
Echoing the call, Santa Anzo described the creative economy as one of the world’s fastest-growing economic sectors, noting that cultural and creative industries contribute approximately 3.1% of global GDP, while the global fashion industry is valued at between US$1.7 trillion and US$3 trillion, depending on how the value chain is measured.
She further noted that fashion is now the second-largest employer in Sub-Saharan Africa after agriculture, making it one of the continent’s most strategic industries for women, youth employment and enterprise development. “Uganda does not lack creativity. We lack the systems that turn creativity into prosperity.”
Reflecting on her nearly three-decade journey as a fashion entrepreneur and founder of ARAPAPA, Anzo said her life’s work has been to demonstrate that Ugandan creativity can be transformed into intellectual property, employment, tourism, exports, investment and sustainable businesses.
Through Uganda International Fashion Week, she explained, that vision has grown from a single fashion brand into a continental platform that promotes enterprise development, market access, skills training, buyer linkages and international collaboration.
She said the current Fashion for Impact agenda, implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation CREATE Programme, takes the initiative even further by equipping young people-particularly women and girls-with practical skills, mentorship, entrepreneurship support and access to markets.
Anzo stressed that fashion weeks are far more than runway shows. “A fashion week is an economic ecosystem. It creates opportunities across tourism, hospitality, transport, media, photography, beauty, manufacturing, construction, technology and the wider creative industries. Every edition of Uganda International Fashion Week supports designers, models, tailors, photographers, makeup artists, event producers, hotels, restaurants, transport providers, media houses and many other businesses.”
She added that when we invest in fashion, the benefits extend far beyond the runway- they circulate throughout the entire economy.”
Anzo revealed that the 2026 edition of UIFW will feature more than 100 runway models, including refugees and persons with disabilities, reflecting the event’s commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity.
Beyond the runway, the Fashion for Impact programme aims to strengthen more than 500 tailoring enterprises while supporting close to 10,000 young people over the next three years through training, enterprise development and market access, with women and girls forming the majority of beneficiaries.
Both speakers agreed that mindset remains one of the greatest barriers to unlocking Uganda’s creative economy.
“As Africans, we were conditioned to believe everything had to follow by the books. We forgot our talents, our natural gifts and how much we can achieve through our own creativity.”
Bebe Cool concluded by encouraging Ugandans to proudly market their talent, creativity and products to the world, saying Uganda has everything required to become one of Africa’s leading creative economies if it invests in its people and believes in its own potential.
The discussion concluded with an invitation to the public to attend the Uganda International Fashion Week Fashion & Business Expo from 31st August to 2nd September, culminating in the Grand Finale Gala on 5th September 2026 at Kampala Serena Hotel.
Tickets for the Grand Finale Gala are available via the MTN MoMo App or by dialing *165*20#, with Platinum tickets at UGX 250,000, Gold at UGX 150,000 and Silver at UGX 100,000.
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