Gender Minister Chickens out of meeting with journalists over performing bill

Last week, artistes organised a meeting to discuss ‘Stage Play and Public Entertainment Bill.’

During the meet at Jahazi Pier Munyonyo, the artistes’ lawyer Norman Mbabazi told artistes then that Ministry of Gender doesn’t have the mandate of proposing a bill on artistes, because the entertainment industry is under Ministry of Information and Technology.

Mbabazi said his team will start a legal process by writing to the Junior Minister of Gender, Peace Mutuuzo, to ask where her Ministry derives power of regulating art. The letter was set to reach to the Minister on Monday, January 21.

That is what scribes from different media houses, who descended upon ministry of Gender in Kampala for a Tuesday morning presser thought would be addressed.

However, to everyone’s surprise, the Minister’s aide came out to give excuses on behalf of the Minister.

“I do not have any idea about this briefing. The presser will not be happening because currently the Minister is not set to meet journalists. But we shall inform you when the Minister is ready,” the aide said before dashing off.

This left many journalists wondering if Mutuuzo is still gathering evidence to confirm that her Ministry has the mandate to propose the said bill or she is still in talks with artiste’s lawyers.

This bill suggests that every artiste should be registered under the Ministry of Labor, No artiste will be allowed to shoot a video without authorisation from the Ministry, and artistes shall not perform for less than 60 minutes or above 120 minutes among others.