SEVERAL high profile figures in Uganda, proved they too can write. The biggest book event was James Ogoola’s launch of his Songs of Paradise.
Augustine Omare- Okurut, the country’s United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation boss, released the Song of Rage while FEMRITE released the second edition of Painted Voices, a collaboration between poets and painters.
Regina Amollo’s A Season of Mirth, was selected for the O’level syllabus.
The religious poets had a busy year. Josepha Jabo’s The Mammon Tree, came on top of all.
The Lantern Meet of Poets was recited to a full house at National Theatre. The Bonfire also performed during the celebrations to mark 50 years of National Theatre.
Several poetry recitals were held in night clubs like Club Rouge and bars like Iguana. Every year, the British Council’s Crossing Borders project, reveals new authors.
Ebenezer Bifubyeka, a journalist whose collection was concerned with HIV/AIDS especially among juveniles and environmental issues, was the most focused of all such poets.
There were also self-help Christian works. Nearly each week witnessed a launch of one such book. Godfrey Mawa’s No Time to Die, was the most advertised, with a very elaborate launch at Sheraton Hotel Kampala.
Miriam Matembe, who admits to being vocal, published Woman in the Eyes of God. It is a good, provocative work that raises pertinent Christian and feminine concerns.
Fagil Mandy was the other high profile person who released a book.
This year’s National Book festival was disappointingly low key. The eventual winner of the National Book prize was Ernest Bazanye, Chasing the Dream, at a no-pomp function at Railway Gardens.
However, the biggest gain was the publication of the first ever Lusoga dictionary titled Eiwanika y’Olusoga in December. It is a work well researched by the experts.
In volumes, 2009 was good. In quality, it was terrible. My wish is that the tables are overturned in 2010.
