January 16, 2019, marked the formation of The Uganda Comedians Association (TUCA), with Hannington Bugingo as its president. However, six years later, some comedians feel the association has not lived up to expectations, leading to calls for its dissolution and the formation of a new association led by Alex Muhangi.
According to Muhangi, fellow comedians have approached him, expressing their dissatisfaction with TUCA’s performance.
“According to comedians, TUCA has not done anything for comedians, so they asked me to be an interim chairman to organize ourselves,” Muhangi said. “They want a new chapter because the old association, especially the president Hannington Bugingo, is too busy.”
Muhangi, who runs the Comedy Store Uganda, claims to work closely with around 1,000 comedians, who often seek his help in times of need. “I have like 1,000 comedians who come to me for help,” he said. “When they are evicted from their homes, they call me personally. When they get into accidents, they come for my help, so I am also tired of helping people without any position. So, they are backing me to lead them.”
When TUCA was formed, it had over 30 registered members and aimed to professionalize the comedy industry, establish a functional office, and provide medical insurance cover for its members, among other objectives. However, it seems that the association has not been able to deliver on these promises, leading to discontent among its members
