TPF returns but we could do more for the EAC

News has started filtering in that the guys at East African Breweries have opened their cheque books and signed for money so we can see another episode of Tusker Project Fame. This is a competition that brings together young people from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and even South Sudan in a musical competition. I think the competition is aimed at unearthing the newest musical stars who are supposed to join the likes of Uganda’s Jose Chameleon, Kenya’s Juliani or Nameless, Tanzania’s Diamond or Lady Jay Dee, Burundi’s Kidum or Khadija Nin or even Rwanda’s Kitoko. Unfortunately this is rarely achieved mainly because the reward system kills the motivation that one needs to succeed. Just like the case of Ugandan marathoner Stephen Kiprotich who is now swimming in rewards, it is always better to reward real achievements. Instead, Tusker Project Fame generally rewards young East Africans with good voices for singing other people’s songs. At the end of the day, we struggle to trace the people we saw on TV as they fade away soon after the show comes to an end. I actually cannot see any of them who has turned out to be successful even Rwanda’s Alpha is not a crowd puller in Kigali. The rest will be seen featuring in songs by other stars, desperately resisting the rush to oblivion. But the show is not all bad. As one who eats and breathes East Africanism (Yes I just created a new word there), I love the fact that during the course of the show, East Africans unite in a way that is not common. The usual beef between EAC countries which is lately quite visible on Twitter fades away and people allow their heart to embrace what is genuinely good. During the show we get to learn and appreciate other East African countries better than before. It is like a more purposeful Big Brother reality show. It is even made better by the fact that the judges are from different countries with Ian Mbugua from Kenya, Juliana Kanyomozi from Uganda and Hermes Joachim from Tanzania. The MC combo often has a Ugandan and a Kenyan. I remember the last time when Gaetano Kaggwa made it a point to keep saying ‘Banange’ which can be loosely translated to Oh My God (OMG). That way many East Africans got to pick up a Luganda phrase. I wish we could have more corporate companies supporting different EAC events and competitions that can result in small steps towards better understand of the different EAC countries and their people. It is quite a shame that each time we have events like EAC secondary school sports competitions or the EAC military games, there is almost zero publicity offered to them. I am sure if we got some of the big spenders like the beverage companies, telecoms or banks we would probably get a better deal. Someone in Arusha at the EAC secretariat should get busy drafting proposals that will see Safaricom, MTN, Vodacom, Hima Cement, Brookside, Konyagi, Inyange Industries, etc sponsoring events that boost cooperation and understanding between the East African countries. I have seen the Guinness Football Challenge that involved Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania but left out Rwanda and Burundi. Airtel has done something with universities in the countries where it is present but I am sure they can do an EAC thing and even include DRC. I am sure even Kenya Airways can be convinced to sponsor something East African. Away from that, I found it interesting how Kenyans keep hinting on the probability of Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich being one of them. Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto even hinted that Kenya would have amassed more medals from the Moscow championships if Kiprotich had not gone to Uganda. Of course he was just being the usual humorous fellow that he is. However, I think there should be a strategy to see to it that the practice of winning medals at competitions is an East African thing and not just a Kenyan thing. If you look at it closely, the Kenyan medal snatchers are primarily from the high altitude Rift Valley region. That region extends to Easter Uganda where the Ugandan Kiprotich comes from. But also areas like Kabale and different parts of Rwanda and Burundi have similar climate and topography what is lacking is a clear strategy to invest in sports. We should not be fighting over Kiprotich but making sure that Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi have several Kiprotichs instead. Twitter: @ssojo81Blog: www.ssenyonga.wordpress.com