State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Balaam Barugahare Attenyi says the arts sector was not thought about during the 2024/2025 national budget reading since it was only considered under the Ministry of Culture.
In so doing, no musicians group managed to get money that would aid it in the running of their projects and other businesses yet the Football Association (FUFA) sector managed to land billions of shillings.
Hon. Balaam Barugahara blamed the fact that there was no one to advocate money for the arts sector since he was appointed into office late when everything was almost done.
He is positive that come the next financial year 2025/2026, the arts will be considered as he looks forward to starting advocating for it whenever the planning for the national budget starts.
He adds that he wanted at least the Bakayimbira Drama actors to be accorded some money to help them clear Shs800m at Bat Valley theatre so that they could set up their theatre to extend their arts and drama production without any disturbances.
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He further added that he was expectant that at least Shs20B would be allocated to the National Theatre so the people in charge of it would spearhead to construction of a modern state-of-the-art theatre.
The arts sector was not catered for in this years budget at all. Not even a single artists group got a penny. The money is under the Ministry of culture yet Football (FUFA) was catered for. I at least wanted money to be allocated to Bakayimbira and Abbey Mukiibi so that they could pay for Bat Valley the Shs800m that they owe them and set up their own theatre for drama and comedy.
I was expectant that the budget could at least allocate Shs20B for the construction of a modern National Theatre that all that is not possible now because I came too late. But in the next financial year, I will do everything possible to see that the arts sector is included in the budget.
Balaam Barugahare
He is optimistic that the President will be at the forefront of advocating for the arts sector and he believes he could allocate Shs1Trillion to skilled youths for start-ups with different business ideas.
