Mark Agume, recognised for his portrayal of 'Mwebe' in the film Ssekukkulu: A Ugandan Christmas, is poised for success after securing a place in the finals of the African Monologue Challenge.

Among the 10 contenders in the challenge are actors  Ijeoma Grace Agu (Nigeria), Maud Guerard (Ivory Coast), Chadzanso Mwenda (Zambia), Delove Augustt (Ghana), Jang Afanyuh Gehnjang (Cameroon), Chimwemwe Chipidza (Zimbabwe), Esther Wanjiru (Kenya), Noluthando Shandu (South Africa), and Kelvin Maxwell Ngoma (Malawi).

Agume expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, emphasising the significance of representing Uganda on such a prestigious platform. 

"It means there is so much talent that the country has. It's not easy to stand out amongst so many talented artists from diferent African countries from over 2,000 submissions and making it to the finals. It shows that Uganda has a solid strength when it comes to performance," he said.

It should be noted that last year's winner of the African Monologue Challenge is Racheal Nduhukire, a Ugandan actress known for her roles in movies such as Journey To Jamaa, I Found My Way, and the TV series Sanyu.

Agume is hopeful of keeping Uganda's title and counts on Ugandans for victory. He urged all Ugandans to vote for him as much as they can for him to keep the title home.

"My goal is to defend the title. I just hope ugandans can show patriotism during the voting  because really the next phase will only be determined by numbers of votes and I hope different Ugandan companies can come on board and support the cause as I represent the country on such a global stage," Agume said.

In his quest for victory, Agume appeals to both government entities and private companies for support, recognising the importance of their backing in securing the necessary votes. He hopes that his journey will inspire other Ugandan creatives to pursue opportunities beyond borders and showcase the country's talent on a global scale.

It should be recalled that Uganda was represented by three competitors, Mark Agume, Isaac Khaweka and King Missy. While Kahweka reached the top 50 stage, King Missy also reached the top 15 spot, which is regarded as the semi-finals.

Mark Agume is an actor and a seasoned monologue maker who started doing monologues in 2020. To his name, he has over 100 monologues and over five roles in popular Ugandan movies.