EAC anthem composer yet to be paid for task of 2010
What you need to know:
The EAC Anthem, which was composed by a Tanzanian, John Mugango, is sung by about 170 million people across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan yet the composer has not yet been paid for the service.
Dodoma. His song may be sung by about 170 million people across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan but the surprising fact is that Mr John Mugango, the composer of the East African Community (EAC) Anthem, has yet to receive his payment for the composition.
This was revealed in Parliament yesterday that the government was still grappling with effecting the payment to artist Mugango who composed the anthem eight years ago.
The deputy minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Co-operation, Dr Damas Ndumbaro, told Parliament yesterday that the government had written to the Arusha-based EAC Secretariat, seeking payment that Mr Mugango is entitled to.
“We received a letter from the ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, requesting us to follow up on the matter. We have already filed the request and we are currently waiting for response from the EAC Secretariat,” he said.
Dr Ndumbaro was responding to a question from by Martha Mlata (Special Seats) who wanted to know what the government was doing in following up the rightful payment of the Tanzanian composer, who resides in Bukoba.
Meanwhile, Mr Mugango, who teaches at Kashai Primary School told The Citizen yesterday that it was disheartening to note that almost ten years have passed and so far, he has not yet been paid.
He said he had begun to compose the song in 2005 and completed the task in 2010.
He went on to say that the song was officially launched by five EAC heads of state on December 3, 2010 in Arusha.
He said he had been following up the matter with several letters of request for payment of rights without any sign of success.
The composer of the EAC anthem is also the composer of a popular song on Peace and Development which is being used in Kagera Region. (Additional reporting by Phinias Bashaya).
