Technical Equipment Support For Two Local Radio Stations In Uganda

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency Directorate completely renewed the technical infrastructure of a local radio station which broadcasts in affiliation with the High Islamic Council in Uganda’s capital of Kampala and supplied technical equipment to a radio station in Mbale.

The Ugandan High Islamic Council President and Head Mufti Shaban Mubaje, who made a visit to our country through the Religious Affairs Directorate, requested support in establishing 3 FM radio stations and a TV channel. The High Islamic Council of Uganda, which is in the position of officially representing Moslems on a local and international scale, also conducts a variety of activities towards fulfilling the cultural, social and health needs of Moslems living in Uganda. The High Islamic Council of Uganda is highly regarded among the Moslem population as it also issues administrative regulations.

Developing more cooperation in African countries in the field of publications and broadcasting is important in terms of the strategy to expand into Africa. There are around 220 radio stations functioning in Uganda, most of which belong to Christians and only three do Islamic broadcasting. One is in the capital Kampala while the other two are in the Northeastern city of Mbale trying to broadcast with the old and insufficient equipment belonging to the Ugandan Mufti.

The assessment was made that support for the Ugandan High Islamic Council would greatly contribute to the development of relations in economic, commercial, cultural and social areas and after subsequent observations were made in Uganda it was decided that TİKA would completely renew the infrastructure of the local radio station in Kampala broadcasting in affiliation with the Ugandan High Islamic Council and supply technical equipment to the radio station in Mbale.

In this scope TİKA renovated the 40-meter-square classroom in the Uganda Kaddafi Mosque complex which was allocated for this project and transformed it into a radio station, had the technical equipment installed by experts and handed the FM radio station over to the authorities in operational condition. In continuation of the same project the antenna and transmitter system in the Mbale radio station was updated and the technical equipment was replaced in order to improve the broadcasting quality.