CCFU Annual report 2016 Final

Does culture matter?
Cultural affairs captured more media attention last year than ever before. Does this reflect a
growing acknowledgment by Ugandans that “culture matters”? This media review indicates a
variety of developments in the culture sector in 2016.
Cultural leaders in prominence.
For a start, Ugandans continued in 2016 to
demonstrate their pride in their cultural identity
and their allegiance to their cultural leaders.
Throughout the year, these leaders expressed
their concern to uphold cultural values for
current and future generations. The kings of
Buganda and Tooro along with Rwot Onen Acana
II of Acholi for instance called upon communities
to take pride in showcasing their diverse cultures
and promoting cultural norms. The Bunyoro
Kingdom advocated for the national recognition
of Omukama Kabalega for his fierce resistance to
British dominance and demanded the return of
cultural items held in foreign museums.
Cultural leaders in Bunyoro, Busoga and Buganda
also encouraged the youth to embrace agriculture,
recalling the value of indigenous varieties and
the need to restore traditional granaries for
food security in the face of changing climatic
conditions. They also flagged their concerns
about health through immunisation and other
health campaigns. In Buganda and Tororo, they
warned against harmful cultural practices such
as ritual sacrifice. Their message was also one of
peace. The King of Toro and the Obundigya Bwa
Bamba castigated people who incite violence and
tribal hatred.
Land is an important cultural resource that
informs people’s sense of identity, belonging
and status. It can also be the source of conflicts,
including between cultural institutions. This year,
disputes arose between Buganda and Bunyala;
Ma’di and Acholi; Bunyoro, Buganda and the
National Forestry Authority. In Bunyoro, cultural
leaders demanded laws on land acquisition
prompted by the destruction of heritage sites
and limited compensation to land owners
and occupiers, following oil industry activities.
Several cultural leaders opposed amendments to
the Land Act proposing compulsory acquisition
of land for national development projects,
which they perceive as compromising ancestral
property. Cultural leaders in the Ma’di sub-region
rose up to protect Zoka forest against plunder
(pictured above).
It is therefore no surprise that, in the 2016
presidential elections, chiefs and kings were
perceived as influential power centres and were
regularly drawn into party affairs (contrary to the
law). Their allegiance to the State – which provides
a stipend to many of them – also emerged as a
contentious issue. In several instances, even the
leadership of cultural institutions was contested.
As the year came to a close, conflicts again
erupted in the Rwenzori region, eventually
leading to the incarceration of prominent leaders
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