By Ben Musanje
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has recognized veteran Kadongo Kamu musicians Dan Mugula and Hadija Namale for their contribution to Uganda’s music industry, as the regulator announced plans to digitize the country’s heritage music and create new avenues for its pioneers to benefit from their work.
The recognition was made at the Ataakulaba Akunyooma Heritage Music Concert, held at the Sheraton Hotel Kampala on July 31, 2026.
UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo said the initiative was intended to ensure that musicians who laid the foundation for Uganda’s music industry are not left behind as the sector transitions from physical music ownership to digital access.
“Music is far more than entertainment; it is content, culture and a critical economic driver for our nation,” Thembo said.
He said Government’s support for the pioneers was informed by the need to preserve Uganda’s cultural heritage while positioning the creative industry as a major contributor to the country’s economic ambitions.
“Omuntu atajjukira gyeyava tasobola kumanya gyalaga,” Thembo said, quoting a Buganda proverb which translates to: A person who does not remember where they came from cannot know where they are going.
Thembo said Uganda cannot reap from its creative industry without investing in the people who laid its foundation.
He said the Government’s target of significantly expanding the national economy by 2040 would require the creative sector to play a bigger role.
“The creative industry is one of the big engines if we want to multiply our economy by 2040,” he said.
But beyond recognition, Thembo said UCC was working on a programme to ensure that Uganda’s old music catalogue is preserved and monetised in the digital environment.
He noted that music consumption has shifted dramatically from physical formats such as cassettes and CDs to instant access through online platforms.
He said the transition presents both an opportunity and a challenge for older musicians whose music continues to be consumed but who may not have benefited from the digital economy.
“Telecommunications is not just about masts, SIM cards and data pipelines; it is about the content flowing through them,” Thembo said.
He pointed to the rapid growth of digital platforms, particularly TikTok, saying more than 11 million Ugandans are now on the platform and music accounts for a significant share of data consumption.
UCC therefore intends to digitize Ugandan music and place it on the UgaTune platform, with the content also available through caller tunes.
Thembo said Ugandans will pay to access the music, with a percentage of the proceeds going to the owners of the content.
The initiative, he said, would allow musicians and their estates to continue earning from music that remains popular decades after it was produced.
At the concert, Namale was brought onto the stage in a wheelchair by musician Mesach Ssemakula, popularly known as Papa, where she performed her popular song Mukulike Omwaka.
The song has since been given a new version featuring Ssemakula.
UCC also announced that it would construct a new home for Namale, with Thembo pledging that the house would be completed within three months.
He said a completed house had initially been identified in Buwama, but its price was increased fourfold before the deal could be concluded, prompting the organizers to opt for constructing a new home.
Rosefoam Industries also supported Namale with a mattress.
Mugula, renowned for his song Baalaba Taliiwo, was recognized with a brand new double-cabin vehicle branded Ataakulaba Akunyooma.
Minister for ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba officiated at the handover.
A young Kadongo Kamu enthusiast known online as Mapeesa, who has gained attention on TikTok for mimicking and promoting Kadongo Kamu songs, was also recognized.
Mapeesa received a new organ after losing his previous instrument in an accident while travelling to a rehearsal.
Thembo invited Minister Lumumba to hand over the instrument.
He said the recognition of the musicians was part of a broader effort to create a culture in which Ugandans appreciate people who have made significant contributions to the country.
He thanked the UCC Board and management, Mengo leadership and corporate partners for supporting the initiative, as well as Ugandans who bought tickets to attend the concert.
Thembo said every ticket bought was effectively a contribution towards recognizing and supporting Uganda’s musical pioneers.
The initiative comes at a time when the country’s music industry is rapidly shifting towards digital distribution, making the preservation and commercialization of Uganda’s older music catalogue increasingly important.
For UCC, the digitization programme is therefore intended to achieve two objectives — preserve the country’s musical heritage while ensuring that the musicians who created it can continue to benefit from its economic value. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
