Entertainment and Media Hosts Association Launched at ONC Headquarters to promote Unity , Members Welfare

A gathering at the Office of the National Chairman in Kyambogo on Thursday brought together senior figures from Uganda’s entertainment and mainstream media sector and the ONC Manager, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, in a discussion that shifted attention from politics to the often overlooked realities of life behind the microphones and cameras.

The visit, organised by the Entertainment and Media Hosts Association Ltd, also known as Mainstream Media Uganda, was framed as a professional engagement aimed at improving welfare, structure and long term growth within the creative and media industry.

Led by well known personalities including Miles Rwamiti, MC Kats Katamba Edwin, Dagy Nyce and Lwanga Isaac, the delegation used the opportunity to outline challenges that, they said, have persisted for years despite the sector’s growing influence on public life.

Rather than presenting demands, the group spoke of gaps. They pointed to the absence of organized government backed support systems, limited access to funding and the lack of a unified platform to safeguard the interests of practitioners who operate under contracts, ethical standards and constant public scrutiny. For many, they said, the public image of glamour masks financial insecurity and professional vulnerability.

Miles Rwamiti told the meeting that the conversation was deliberately kept outside partisan lines, describing it as an attempt to bring cohesion to a fragmented industry.

He said media professionals occupy a unique space as daily custodians of information and public trust, yet often remain excluded from broader conversations about national development. “This is about unity and progress,” he said, adding that speaking with one voice was the first step towards sustainable change.

Others echoed the sentiment, with MC Kats reflecting on the personal cost of long careers in broadcasting. He suggested that without deliberate support structures, the struggles faced by today’s presenters and hosts would simply be inherited by the next generation.

His remarks highlighted a wider concern about the future of an industry that shapes culture and opinion but rarely benefits from institutional protection.

Hajjat Namyalo, in her response, struck a conciliatory and reflective tone. She acknowledged the risks taken daily by journalists and presenters and said their contribution to national life was often underestimated.

She described media practitioners not just as public figures but as parents and providers whose responsibilities extend beyond the studio.

Her comments also touched on the broader national context, particularly the role of media during sensitive periods such as elections. Without prescribing content, she urged continued professionalism and a commitment to peace and stability, arguing that responsible communication remains central to Uganda’s cohesion.

She noted that while the media has exposed both progress and shortcomings, the country has maintained relative stability compared with others in the region.

Namyalo assured the delegation that their concerns would be conveyed to President Yoweri Museveni, whom she described as attentive to issues affecting different sectors.

She encouraged the association to maintain unity and organisation, saying meaningful progress in the creative economy would require patience, planning and collective effort rather than isolated appeals.

As the meeting concluded, both sides expressed cautious optimism. While no immediate solutions were announced, the engagement itself was seen as a step towards closing the gap between policy makers and a sector that informs, entertains and shapes national conversation.

For many in attendance, the significance lay less in promises made and more in the acknowledgement that the voices behind Uganda’s airwaves also deserve to be heard.