Artistes who travelled to Algeria for the 2nd Pan African Festival have threatened go on strike on landing at Entebbe Airport today, if the gender, labour and culture ministry does not pay them allowances for representing the country at the festival.
The artistes are bitter that they spent three-weeks in Algeria without a stipend from the Government.
“Nobody, not even the minister, could have raised the Ugandan flag as we did," Haruna Walusimbi, the leader of the Nile Beat group, complained.
He said the artistes had sold some of their musical instruments to pay debts and buy medicine.
“Artistes from other countries had allowances. Even the government officials who came with us received allowances. Why are we, who are self-employed, donating our time and talent to the Government for free of charge?” one of the actors asked.
They said they would not leave the airport if they are not given money on arrival.
They demanded to meet the minister at the airport.
The artistes travelled to Algeria on July 1 and have been staying in the newly- built Artistes’ Village in Zeralda, outside the capital Algiers.
The festival started on July 5 and ended on July 20.
The Algerian government covered feeding, accommodation and health insurance.
The participants were informed that the Government would not provide them per diem and advised to secure $200 for upkeep.
They also transported themselves to the airport.
When she visited the artistes two weeks ago, the state minister of culture, Lukia Nakadama, thanked them for accepting to travel without a stipend, but the artistes were not amused.
Nakadama said the trip had not been budgeted for in the 2008/2009 financial year, but promised to do something when she returned to Kampala.
However, the ministry later informed the participants that the sh26m they needed could not be drawn from the vote account.
In an email, the ministry stated that a smaller amount could be negotiated for, later, and that three coasters would be sent to pick the delegation from the airport.
