Uganda’s Museveni pledges UGX 5bn for content creators at #JazzWithJajja (2nd edition)

The President announced the funding at his Kisozi Ranch meeting with creators and digital entrepreneurs, positioning social-media content as part of Uganda’s “new economy” and linking support to more formal organisation through a creators’ association/SACCO.

Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged UGX 5 billion (about Shs5bn) to support local digital content creators, announcing the commitment during the second edition of #JazzWithJajja — a sit-down session that brought together creators, journalists, digital entrepreneurs and influencers for a discussion on wealth creation and the role of ICT in Uganda’s economy.

According to a statement published by Uganda’s Office of the President, the pledge was made after YouTuber and media personality Isaac Katende (“Kasuku”) asked how digital influencers could formally collaborate with government and strengthen the sector. Museveni described creators as a modern evolution of advertising, arguing that where businesses once relied on radio and TV, social media now provides a faster way to package and market products to consumers.

Local reporting indicates the President’s support is intended to back more structured organisation among creators, including references to a creatives’ SACCO and association frameworks discussed during the session. The broader message from the event was that content creation is being treated not only as entertainment, but as a practical tool for communication and commerce — especially for youth using digital platforms to build income streams.

The pledge is also part of a wider narrative the President emphasized at the meeting: integrating more Ugandans into income-generating activity, with government programmes and financing channels closer to communities. By putting a specific figure on support for creators, the government is signaling that Uganda’s digital economy is moving from informal hustle to a sector it wants to recognise, organise, and potentially measure more systematically.