Roger Agamba, the International Premium Spirits Manager UBL addresses media during the Johnnie Walker Soul Safari press briefing held at Club Guvnor on Friday. Looking on is Stanbic’s Sonia Kasagga.

By Our Reporter

It is now official! American singer and songwriter Ginuwine is coming to Uganda, it has been confirmed.

The 47-year-old star who will be performing in Uganda for the first time has been announced as the headliner for the Johnnie Walker Soul Safari which will take place on Saturday, December 1 at Speke Resort Munyonyo. This comes after the Johnnie Walker Jazz and Soul Safari was this year split into two separate events, with the jazz show preceding the Soul Safari.

“Ginuwine has pedigree and consistency, which is the criteria we use to choose artists,” said Soul Safari show  organiser and co-founder TShaka Mayanja said during a press briefing to officially unveil the singer. “He’s coming with a full band and dancers.”

The Washington born singer who has seven studio albums to his name hit the upper reaches of both pop and R&B music charts with charming hits like Pony, Differences, So Anxious, What’s So Different, Stingy, None of Your Business, plus the vastly popular Same Ol’ G, among others. He will perform alongside Ugandan musicians Naava Grey and Kenneth Mugabi.

“Ginuwine stands out as one of the most iconic artistes of our times, an example of progress and success. He gave R&B music a sleeker, sexier feel. As one of the most iconic global brands, Johnnie Walker is excited to be at the centre of giving Ugandans this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch him live in concert,” said Roger Agamba, IPS and Reserve Manager at Uganda Breweries Limited.

Speaking during the press briefing, Stanbic Bank Marketing Manager Sonia Karamagi Kasagga revealed that are they offering discounts on ticket purchases when one buys a ticket using VISA card.

“As the official financial partner of the Johnnie Walker Soul-R&B Safari, we will be will be promoting Credit and Debit Card usage by subsidising ticket costs for those who will purchase using VISA cards. All one has to do is use any VISA cards to purchase tickets and get amazing discounts,” she said.

Early bird tickets are on sale at 100k (80K when purchased using VISA card).

Samuel Sandberg (L), the Head of Administration at the Embassy of Sweden, and Polly Kamukama, the curator of the festival, address media.

By Our Reporter

On Thursday evening, Ugandan film enthusiasts alongside media enjoyed a movie giving insight into the life of iconic Swedish film maker Ingmar Bergman. The screening which was organised by the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda  at Alliance Francaise offices in Kamwokya marked the launch of the Bergman100 Film Festival in Uganda.

The Bergman100 Film Festival is an on-going global showcase aimed at celebrating the life and legacy of legendary Swedish film maker, Ingmar Bergman, who would have turned 100 years this year. The festival will be a 5-day cinema showcase taking place from 15th -19th October 2018 in Kampala.

According to Polly Kamukama, the curator of the festival, they will screen four films by Bergman during the festival. “We have carefully selected four films, each from a different decade in Ingmar Bergman’s career which spans over four decades,” he said. “We want to highlight his growth journey as a film maker as well as his consistency in his cinematic themes.”

Speaking during the event, Samuel Sandberg, the Head of Administration at the Swedish embassy, noted that festival  is timely as it coincides with the European year of cultural heritage and also provides an opportunity for cultural exchange between Uganda and Sweden.

“We will host several individuals in the Swedish film industry during the festival, and this will be an opportunity for Ugandan film makers to network with them,” he stated.

Meanwhile, there will also be a discourse on gender representation in film during the festival featuring a panel of experts as they discuss challenges, opportunities and solutions to the plight of female film makers in Uganda.

Bryan White Foundation (BWF) boss Bryan White has today announced that he will return to Arua to continue his quest of rehabilitating members of criminal gangs in the town.

Address Press at his Makeshift offices in Munyonyo, the humanitarian said he will continue his activism of reducing poverty among the young generation but said this time he is focusing more on intoxicated criminal gangs’ members. He unveiled billions of shilling to be used during the entire period of 4 months of project.

Under his Bryan White Foundation, he is set to return to Arua on Friday 19th October for a period of 4 months as a way of reforming the criminal gangs in the area.

Members from notorious youth gangs in Arua will go into a residential camp for 4 months where they will receive training to acquire individual skills in different categories like mechanics, carpentry, brick laying and concrete practice to mention but a few.

The members will also acquire financial discipline and will rehabilitated from their drug and weed affected lives.

“The foundation will spend 4 months skilling and rehabilitating criminal minded youths. After Arua, he will head to Busia and then Kampala doing the same,” a source said.