Composer of the Ugandan national anthem, the late Prof George Kakoma.
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The composer of Uganda’s national anthem, Prof George Kakoma, died waiting for the government to pay for his song. By Bamuturaki Musinguzi.
The composer of the Ugandan national anthem, Prof George Wilberforce Kakoma, who was buried on April 14, died a bitter man: He was not compensated for his artistic achievement, 50 years after writing the song.
Prof Kakoma, who co-authored the national anthem with Peter G. Wingard from England, died on April 8 after suffering a stroke in August last year.
Prof Kakoma lamented that he had written to Uganda’s leaders since Independence seeking payment for royalties and giving up copyright for his song “Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty” to no avail.
“My royalties have been infringed upon for 41 years,” he said in 2003.
Prof Kakoma said he had received Ush2,000 (US cents 0.7) in 1963, as a “token of thanks.” He claimed that two years later, the government asked him to give up his copyright but he declined.
In January 2007, he proposed a deal to the government: A down payment of Ush40 million ($15,695) or a house in Kampala, so that he could sign off his interest in the copyright. This also fell on deaf ears.
In September 2008, Kakoma went to court seeking an order to compel the government to pay him for infringing on his rights over the song.
Kakoma claimed £1.5 million (Ush5.8 billion) for the song but the government was offering Ush150 million ($58,856) as an out-of-court settlement.
Kakoma’s lawyers argued that initial efforts to have the musician paid in 1987 and 1992 had failed, prompting him to go to court.
In May 2010, the Kampala High Court presiding Judge Yorokamu Bamwine issued a two-week ultimatum for both parties to explore possibilities of settling the matter out of court.
The negotiations failed. In his judgment on July 30, 2010, Justice Bamwine rejected Kakoma’s demands, ruling that the £1.5 million was “astronomical and extortionist,” and awarded him Ush50 million ($19,618) instead.
Justice Bamwine ordered that on payment, Kakoma effectively “sign off the residue of his interest in the copyright,” which would make the anthem an exclusive property of the state.
Dissatisfied with this ruling Prof Kakoma appealed the judgment. The Court of Appeal is yet to set a date for hearing.
It has emerged that Kakoma was only willing to surrender his copyright if government paid him £0.5 million (Ush1.9 billion) because he believed the Ush50 million was inadequate.
Towards Independence, three subcommittees were established to deal with Uganda’s national symbols: The anthem, national flag and coat of arms. The National Symbols Committee was chaired by Prof Senteza Kajubi.
Prof Kajubi told The EastAfrican that there had been many suggestions as to the kind of national anthem Uganda should adopt.
“Some people had suggested that we adopt Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika like Tanzania and Zambia did, which our committee rejected.”
The committee then called for entries. Prof Kajubi recalled that he contacted Kakoma and asked him to create an anthem because the entries were not substantive.
Kakoma’s entry together with entries from Canon Polycarp Kakooza and Prof Bambi Katana were among the four entries shortlisted by the Anthem Committee.
According to Kajubi, Kakoma’s composition won because of its short verses. “His composition was reasonably short and could be easily learnt in schools. It starts on a vigorous note “Oh, Uganda…,” so that the nation wakes up when it is played,” Kajubi added.
According to Prof Kajubi, the committee then went to the police band with both Kakooza and Kakoma’s compositions, which had been chosen by the committee.
“The Uganda police music director, a Mr Moon, seemed to like Kakooza’s presentation. But in view of the excellence of both presentations, I persuaded the committee to send both to the cabinet and they agreed.
In the end it turned out that Cabinet chose Kakoma’s presentation.”
