The need to embrace your culture

By Benjamin Lutimba Mutebi

In Uganda, we have got close to 65 tribes constitutionally but quite a number of them are not popular. I personally believe that this might not be the obligation of the press to make them known to Ugandans but rather the role of their communication or public relations departments at their leadership.

One fact that I am aware of is that majority of Uganda's media companies have their doors open to give platform to any Ugandan who is interested in sharing content that contributes to acceptable media content by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC0. At this point I wish to commend Vision Group for having supported content sharing and publicity for a number of kingdoms such as; the Toro Kingdom, Buganda Kingdom, Busoga Kingdom, Bunyoro Kingdom, Rwenzururu Kingdom and Ankole Kingdom, to mention but a few.

However, I am quick to disagree with colleagues who say that Vision Group platforms are majorly given to Buganda events. This is false because I am sure that sometimes the media works on invitations for them to be able to get classified and true information.

Therefore, if you do not invite the media to your cultural functions or press conferences, then they might not be able to public such information not until may be they initiate their own research. I have personally dealt with vision Group in both print and electronic media and their coverage for all the non-business events that I invite them to are done free of charge and diligently without tribalism. Examples include church functions, Rotary community functions, printed articles. So it is upon us as tribes men and women to say as much information about our tribes and also feel special about them just like the Buganda Kingdom is doing and by so doing, there is no doubt that we shall have the media available. They are always ready for us.

When you do not publicise your tribe, no one will do it for you; not even the government can. I recently accompanied a friend for ‘Kuhingira' in Ntungamo but I had to make sure that we carried items that mention something about where we were coming from such as; Buganda certificates and a Kabaka's portrait from Bulange. So with these intermarriages, I believe that is the way to go for us to understand each other's tribes for respect and recognition.

Also to note that the media is on the other hand a business venture that has a target market so based on market research it is clear that a local daily like Bukedde newspaper will sell best in central regions and one like Etop will sell best in the East and Orumuri in the West as their print language is best understood in those regions.

Therefore, I wish to commend all those kingdoms that have invited the press to let the entire country know that they exist as I believe that much as we are different tribes, there is always a leaf to borrow from the other. Let us also embrace the social media such as Facebook, blogs and twitter to avail information about our constitutional tribes.

Once again, I wish to thank the Vision Group (both print and electronic) for the coverage they give to the Buganda managed events.

Long live all our kingdom leaders in Uganda-‘the Pearl of Africa'

The writer is the head of Laity at Kisaasi parish and a prince from the Balangira Clan