Gov't to support local publishers

By Henry Sekanjako and Wilfred Sanya

In a bid to promote local educational materials, government has pledged its support towards the development of the publishing industry  in Uganda to bar the country from depending on foreign publications.

Government also wants local publisher’s forum to inculcate the culture of reading into Ugandans for knowledge accumulation through reading.

“I appeal to all our local publishers to strengthen the culture of reading and writing in Uganda, it is through you that the poor reading culture among Ugandans will improve,” said the vice president Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi.

Ssekandi made the remarks over the weekend at Sheraton Hotel while officiating at the celebrations mark 20 years of MK publishers in Uganda.

Ssekandi applauded MK Publishers for the quality work which he said has improved governments educational program on Universal primary education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education USE through production of educational materials such as textbooks.

“We are very proud of you MK Publishers, your work has boasted the publishing industry and enabled our pupils in primary and secondary schools to access books,” noted Ssekandi.

He pledged that government would do anything to promote the local publishers both in and outside the country for the development of the publication industry.

Ssekandi expressed optimism that the promotion of the publication industry, would help reduce on the importation of foreign education materials.

“As government we are ready to support you it is very promising to hear that MK publishers is now exporting its publications to Ethiopia, Cameroon among other countries, government is ready to address all the challenges you are facing,” he stated.

In his address, the executive director MK Publishers Samuel Musoke decried the lack of a copyrights law to protect their publication works from copycats which he urged parliament to consider passing a law on copyrights.

He said MK Publishers currently is distributing its educational materials to six African countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania among other countries.

Meanwhile as a social corporate responsibility, MK Publishers over the weekend donated 100 bags of cement to help in the construction of the cancer center at Nsambya Hospital.

The Medical Superintendent Nsambya Hospital appealed to Ugandans to consider regular cancer test for cancer prevention .