Over 1,000 new books were registered during the COVID period

The number of Ugandans venturing into authoring has tremendously improved.  In 2021, alone, 1683 new books by local authors were published. 

Charles Batambuze, the executive secretary of the Uganda Reproduction Rights Organisation, noted that the 1,683 is an increase from the 352 titles that were published in 2020.  

The books, which are written in both the local languages and English, cover genres such as poetry, novels, self-help, autobiography, history,and culture. 

“This represents a growth. It shows that there is now awareness among Ugandans they need to write, and they know how to get it published. The readers now have a variety,” he said. 

Whereas the number of local authors has increased, Batambuze noted that the reading culture, which is still very low, is a big stumbling block. 

“You find a publisher prints 500 copies of a book, but he cannot sell them. The market for books is still small. People struggle to sell books,” he said. 

Batambuze made the remarks at the Uganda media centre where he had joined Minister of state for cultural affairs, Peace Mutuuzo to brief the media on the forthcoming world book and copyright day. The day falls on April 23. 

The Day was declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Assembly in 1995 to specifically celebrate books and those in the books production chain and recognize their contribution to the social and cultural progress of humanity, the preservation of history, cultural heritage, and the maintenance of a reading culture. 

This year’s national celebrations will be held under the theme, “Readership Promotion”. The celebrations will be led by the National Library of Uganda and the Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development. 

Mutuuzo in her remarks noted that Ugandans still have a low appreciation of libraries and the publishing industry which has left these infrastructures idle.   

Uganda has a total of 49 Public libraries and 150 Community Libraries throughout the country. However, she said these are not adequately funded. 

To improve the reading culture, she said, government has been holding reading promotion activities such as children reading tents, reading, and spelling competitions, and reading for children in communities, and digital literacy training and outreaches for and in communities, among others. 

“Government has also invested in the establishment of ICT Open Access Centres in communities. These are being established in Communities across the country and are connected to free internet services,” she said. 

The centres are 17 and are spread across the country. Some of the districts hosting them include Nakaseke, Fortportal, Bundibugyo, Mbarara and Tororo. 

Adonia Katungisa, the Director National Library of Uganda, said they are in the process of procuring more 10 centres including 10 computers that will be made freely accessible to Ugandans. 

The gender ministry is also in advanced stages of formulating a Uganda National Policy for Libraries that will provide a comprehensive policy framework for library development and services. 

Katungisa said a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on libraries has been completed and the draft Policy is in place. 

He said that in the next financial year the policy will be in place and will streamline library services including funding. 

Mutuuzo said plans are also underway to ensure that a National Library building to house the National 

Libraries of Uganda are constructed, and that Local governments at various levels provide funding for library services. 

“Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child's future success. It’s important that we promote the culture of reading among all demographics but more especially among children to tap into the improved life chances this brings them,” she said. 

Several activities have been lined up, starting April 20, leading to April 23. These include among others; book and creative industry stakeholders’ exhibition and donations, health camp and staging a living library and a children’s Reading Tents.