The management of the Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) has petitioned Speaker Anita Among over the deteriorating state of Uganda’s National Theatre.
The members of the Board of Trustees led by their Chairperson, Prof. Okaka Opio Dokotum on Tuesday, 03 December 2024, delivered a petition to the Speaker, highlighting key challenges that the centre is grappling with, together with restricted financing and insufficient infrastructure.
“UNCC is a big establishment that’s not functioning on the stage it must be due to structural and funding issues. It is the central nervous system of the nation and must be shaping philosophy, values, aspirations and desires of the nation which culminates into nationwide transformation,” Okaka stated.
According to Okaka, growing older theatres, galleries, and workplace areas proceed to hinder the Centre’s skill to host high-quality occasions and thus, appealed to Parliament to extend UNCC’s funding on this coming Financial Year.
“The National Theatre constructing was partially renovated about 10 years in the past. The facility has time beyond regulation worn out necessitating an pressing renovation to enhance its face and services together with the stage. The sitting capability of the theatre stage is 377 folks which is grossly insufficient contemplating that the present inhabitants is near 44 million folks and but on the time the theatre was constructed, Uganda’s inhabitants was nearly 4 million folks,” Okaka stated.
UNCC management additionally appealed to the Speaker to push for the modification of the UNCC Act, 1959 which they are saying is out of date and limiting in addressing the present challenges.
“The foremost downside with the Act is that it doesn’t give the minister the authority to develop rules for the sector. It doesn’t additionally seize all of the 9 domains of tradition. We, subsequently, search your assist in making certain that the UNCC Act is amended,” he stated.
The establishment additionally seeks assist to determine regional cultural centres and redevelop its land.
Speaker Among pledged full assist to UNCC to make sure that Uganda’s identification will not be misplaced.
“UNCC has an out of date Act which must be amended. That modification might be completed since you can’t have an act which is older than the nation. UNCC is a robust pillar in strengthening our cultures and is a basis of our identification and heritage,” Among stated, including that it’s everybody’s duty to protect and promote cultures utilizing UNCC.
“As Parliament, we’ll assist the safety of our heritage. You have our assist. Let us assist abilities on the market to make ends meet and this may be achieved by making UNCC energetic,” she stated.
Established in 1959, UNCC is remitted to protect, promote, develop and popularise Uganda’s tradition. The centre is a house to the National Theatre and the National Art Gallery (Nommo Gallery).