[UgaBYTES] Launching Nakaseke community radio 102.9 fm (LUWOMBO)

[Peter Balaba]

*Launching Nakaseke community radio 102.9 fm*



Nakaseke Community Multimedia Center CMC is one among the six Community
Radios piloted by UNESCO in Uganda. Others include, Apac in the North,
Kagadi in the South Eastern, Kachwekano-Kabale  in the  west, Buwama,
Nabweru and Nakaseke in the Central region.

All the Six CMCs received a brief Case Radio   which included a console, a
30 Wt transmitter, and a 100Wt Amplifier. These Radios are a product of
veronica and were supplied by Wantok Company Ltd  a Canadian  based company.

However, some centers have managed to change their transmitters to 100Wts
and above  in order to  reach their target audience.

UNESCO in the collaboration with the Uganda Government through Uganda
Communication Commission waved the license to all community Radios and this
created a very good platform for the CMCs in Uganda to shrive.

Most of these Radios are community based and they broadcast    between 16-
18 hours a day. The most important role of these CMCs  is to  disseminate
information  related to  community  information needs   such as Agriculture,
marketing, Health, Education , Gender issues, Traditional Knowledge (IK) ,  HIV
/ AIDS etc

>From that back ground therefore, Nakaseke CMC  would  wish to celebrate   her
5 years  on Air despite  of all  the  several challenges  it has sailed
through. Some have been technical, natural  and others are man made
political  innervations.

Having gone through such challenges Nakaseke CMC is now committed and ready
to celebrate   her 5 year on Air. In this short period we wish to
acknowledge the efforts of Wantok and their agent  Utratec here in Uganda   who
have been  doing repairs  whenever Radio  breaks down..

We also acknowledge  community support through  their voluntary services  they
offer to the Radio, apparently the Center has  a total of 30 volunteers  who
regularly come and present their programmes.

We cannot forget  the business community  which has been giving us Adverts
to sustain the Center.

 The political leaders  and their councils  of Nakaseke and Kasangombe
Sub-Counties for their  long life support  since the inception of the
project.

*11th OCTOBER, 2008* is the day marked to celebrate  the 5  years  on Air ,
 in this event we  have collaborated with *JAMAAT PRODUCTIONS*  to organize
the celebrations   and we expect  20 Local Artists from Kampala  to present
their shows  to the   audience  and the entrance fee will be only 4000/= and
our target audience is 5000-6000 people.

Nakaseke Sub-County has offered space and Security for the celebrations.

So far basing on the feed backs from the listeners, are too enthusiastic   to
attend to the show.

The management Committee sat recently to plan for the event and they  proposed
the chief Guest to be  Hon. Minister for Luwero Triangle Nyombi Tembo to
witness the usefulness / impacts  of Nakaseke  CMC  to the community.

The revenue that will be raised from this event is to be ploughed back to
improve the Radio coverage and also to have a second stand-by transmitter.

I therefore, take this opportunity to invite you all to join us in this
celebration.