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Tag: Justine Kasule Lumumba

  • Plascon India Day Links Cultural Celebration to Healthcare Support

    Plascon India Day Links Cultural Celebration to Healthcare Support

    Thousands of people turned up at Kololo Independence Grounds on Saturday for Plascon India Day 2026, an event that brought together Indian music, dance, food and culture while raising support for healthcare initiatives in Uganda.

    Held on October 3, the celebration was organised by the Vishwadharma Foundation in partnership with the Indian Association Uganda, with Kansai Plascon Uganda as the headline sponsor.

    The event attracted members of Uganda’s Indian community and the wider public for a day of cultural performances, exhibitions and entertainment.

    The programme opened with a flag-hoisting ceremony and colourful parades, followed by activities spread across about 30 stalls showcasing Indian cuisine, cultural displays and community services.

    Nearly 400 performers entertained the crowd with traditional, classical and contemporary Indian dance performances.

    The celebrations were attended by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Sanjay Tanna, Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara and Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba.

    Other guests included Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development in charge of Minerals Phiona Nyamutoro and Senior Presidential Adviser Evelyn Anite.

    Business leaders and community representatives were also present, including Indian Association Uganda chairman Paresh Mehta and representatives of the Ruparelia, Madhvani and Mehta business groups.

    The entertainment programme reached its peak in the evening with a performance by Indian singer Neha Kakkar, who thrilled the audience with some of her popular songs before being joined on stage by her husband, singer Rohanpreet Singh.

    The two performers got the crowd singing and dancing along as the cultural celebration came to an energetic close.

    Healthcare commitment

    Beyond the music and festivities, this year’s Plascon India Day placed significant emphasis on healthcare, with Kansai Plascon Uganda and its partners committing to support 100 heart surgeries for Ugandan children under the age of five and 1,000 cataract operations.

    The commitment builds on last year’s pledge to support 100 heart surgeries, which the company said was successfully fulfilled.

    “Last year we pledged to support 100 heart surgeries and that took place. This year we are again committing to 100 heart surgeries,” Kansai Plascon Uganda Managing Director Dr Santosh Gumte said ahead of the event.

    Under the new programme, children with serious heart conditions will be identified for specialised treatment in India, followed by post-operative care.

    The cataract initiative will target patients from different parts of Uganda who require surgery.

    Gumte said the partnership with the Indian Association Uganda demonstrates how organisations can combine resources to support communities and expand access to essential services.

    The company said its previous healthcare interventions had helped facilitate 265 heart surgeries. Ahead of this year’s celebration, Gumte also met some beneficiaries who had benefited from the earlier programme.

    The healthcare initiative gives the annual cultural event a wider social purpose by linking the celebration of Indian culture with practical support for Ugandans facing serious health challenges.

    Culture and community

    Plascon India Day has increasingly become a platform for members of the Indian community to showcase their culture while engaging with the wider Ugandan public.

    The event featured Indian cuisine, music, dance and cultural displays, giving visitors an opportunity to experience different aspects of Indian heritage.

    The celebrations started on Friday with a corporate dinner for sponsors and partners, where violinist Amal and electric veena player Soundarya provided live instrumental performances.

    The main event on Saturday brought together culture, entertainment, business and community initiatives, highlighting the longstanding relationship between Uganda and its Indian community.

    For organisers and partners, the healthcare commitments added another layer to the celebrations, ensuring that the event was not only about entertainment but also about supporting children, families and patients in need of specialised medical care.

  • PRAU National PR Symposium 2026 positions Strategic communication as a critical function for organizations

    PRAU National PR Symposium 2026 positions Strategic communication as a critical function for organizations

    EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS IS BEYOND NEWS HEADLINES, HON LUMUMBA ALLUDES AT 5TH NATIONAL PR SYMPOSIUM

    The Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) recently hosted the 5th National Public Relations Symposium at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala. The Symposium was held under theme “Beyond Headlines: Strategic Communication for Effective Organisations,”.

    The event was presided by Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, the Minister for Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance and PRAU Patron as the Chief Guest, bringing together communications professionals, policymakers, corporate executives, development communication practitioners, government communicators, academia, students and international public relations experts to examine the evolving role of strategic communication in shaping Uganda’s development agenda.

    In her opening remarks, PRAU President Irene Nakasiita said, “This symposium serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and professional growth. We welcome you all and make the most of the day’s discussions and learning opportunities’’.

    Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, applauded the Governing Council for their dedication and persistence in ensuring the success of the event and pledged to support efforts for the upcoming PRAU at 50 celebrations in October this year.

    Hon. Lumumba emphasized that effective communication extends beyond attracting media attention urging organisations to identify what is truly important and communicate it in ways that reach the hearts and minds of their audiences. She noted that both institutions and individuals should consciously build positive reputations capable of advancing their goals.

    She said,’’ Today, every organisation, and every individual is subject to public scrutiny. Families, private companies, institutions, and individuals all find themselves under constant public observation. Organisations are judged not only by what they do but also by how effectively they communicate what they do.

    This reality requires communication professionals to move beyond publicity. It is no longer enough to issue press releases or respond after crises have already occurred. Strategic communication must become an integral component of leadership, governance, institutional performance, and national confidence. The Minister noted that rapid technological advancement has transformed the communication landscape, enabling information to spread faster than ever before. While acknowledging that technology has created opportunities for greater connectivity and positive impact, she cautioned that it has also increased the speed at which misinformation and reputational damage can occur. The day started with a fireside chat, continued with different panel sessions, a Q&A session, professional networking and a cocktail dinner event.

    Tina Wamala, the Immediate Past President took on the podium to shed light on the PRAU At 50 moments. She said, ‘’ This Golden Jubilee is not simply an opportunity to look back at our achievements. It is a call to action, a mandate to further professionalise our industry, mentor the next generation of practitioners, and continue shaping Uganda’s narrative with integrity. “We have planned a comprehensive campaign to celebrate this remarkable milestone. It began with the PRAU Run on May 22nd 2026, held on the exact anniversary day of the Association’s founding.

    The PRAU at 50 celebrations will honour the journey of the past five decades by recognising 50 years of impact, 50 stories of impact, and 50 outstanding practitioners whose work has shaped our profession. Our audience will extend beyond PR practitioners. We will bring together CEOs, board members, directors, marketers, sales professionals, advertisers, policymakers, and stakeholders from across the communications ecosystem’’, she added “Our objective is clear: to ensure that public relations has a permanent and influential seat at every strategic decision-making table especially in boardrooms’’, she concluded.

    This year’s National PR Symposium was brought you courtesy of Bank of Uganda, Microfinance Support Centre, Psalms Food Industries Limited, Crown Beverages Limited, Affinity Media, NRG Radio, Galaxy FM, QVibes, Uganda Red Cross Society, MultiChoice Uganda, Business Times Uganda, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Shylo Enterprises and the Uganda Electoral Commission.

  • M7 invites Amama Mbabazi, Four others to attend NEC

    M7 invites Amama Mbabazi, Four others to attend NEC

    The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba has named five special guests who have been invited to attend the forth coming National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Entebbe.
    NRM SG: Justine Kasule Lumumba
    Article 12(2)P of the NRM Constitution gives the National Chairman the right to invite not more than 5 individuals who have made special contributions to the struggle to attend the NEC meeting.
    The Rt. Hon. Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba confirms receipt of the names from H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. She made the revelation Wednesday evening while appearing on UBC Television from 9-10pm.
    Invited; Amama Mbabazi
    The five include former Vice Presidents Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe and Dr. Gilbert Bukenya, former Prime Ministers Rt. Hon. Kintu Musoke and Rt. Hon Amama Mbabazi together with former Kampala Central Legislator Hon Francis Babu.
    SG Lumumba confirmed to the show moderator Innocent Musinguzi and the  viewers that invitations to the five above had already been sent. “We shall be grateful to receive them as our special guests during NEC meeting”, she added. NEC convenes this Friday in Entebbe.
    Invited: Gilbert Bukenya
    Meanwhile the accreditation of all NEC delegates has started this morning at Kololo Airstrip.

    The above development was confirmed by Rogers Mulindwa,  the Senior manager Information, Communication & Public Relations at the NRM secretariat.

  • ASFAs ‘Fashion is Power’ as Barbie Kyagulanyi and Justin Lumumba Meet at the Red Carpet

    ASFAs ‘Fashion is Power’ as Barbie Kyagulanyi and Justin Lumumba Meet at the Red Carpet

    Justine Kasule Lumumba, the secretary general of the ruling party and Barbie Kyagulanyi, wife to one of the current biggest opposition contenders Robert Kyagulanyi shared a light moment of joy and glam at the biggest Red carpet awards event in Africa last Friday.

    As is the back bone of ASFAs, glamour, joy and celebration of the true African fashion and style is always at the fore front in uniting Africans.

    Fashion is indeed power, everything else goes behind that….Both turned up very elegantly clad in eye catching fabric.

    It goes without saying, that the Ciroc Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards are the most anticipated fashion show in the country. Partly for the great stage production Steve Jean does with the Fenon Events crew, and the input of Joram Muzira’s model management back stage, and of course the local/international acts and show cases.

    But for the greatest part, it is the competition at the Red Carpet that makes it exciting. Every other year, the Kampala Serena Hotel hosts the very cream of fashion zealots in Uganda, and some parts of Africa. And no, they don’t come to see Spice Diana perform. Or Ykee Benda. They don’t come to see Lilian Mbabazi’s performance, (which was Mowzey Radio’s tribute, and it was phenomenal.) For them, the show happens at the Red Carpet. And this year’s edition, that happened last Friday, was even better. There was Spice Diana’s ostentatious green dress that made her look like a hen whose wings had been clumped together on one side, awaiting crucifixion.

    Such conviction. She even had a second attire for her performance, where she carried a barrage of safety pins on her scalp, in the place of her wig. No wonder she won an award. There were also a host of other celebrities who dazzled. Bettina Tiana, Barbie Kyagulanyi, Hellen Lukoma (who is so careful what she shows lately because of her ASFAs body shaming scandal in 2016,) Aly Alybhai and wife, also former Miss Uganda, Sylvia Namutebi, designer Martin Larry of Larry Casual, the queen of the Red Carpet Judith Heard, musical artistes Ykee Benda and Lydia Jazmine, among others, put on quite a show with their clothes at the Red Carpet. Inside the main event, the show flowed seamlessly, save for the fact that the organizers have still failed to end the show earlier, as it ended past 2:00am in the night!