Uganda: Happy hour unrest, Blogumentary and Sam Cooke · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

Ugandan blogger/hip-hop artist Saving a Generation Endangered (S.A.G.E.) stirred up controversy this week when he lashed out at Uganda Bloggers Happy Hour (BHH) attendees in a Blogging a Blogger interview conducted by Country Boyi:
He (S.A.G.E.) further lashes at the Blogger Happy Hour logo that describes Ugandan bloggers as “intelligent, witty, sexy and occasionally ridiculous.” He finds an alternative description for the Ugandan blogging scenario.
“I'll just call it the theatre of the absurd,” he says, “because the ‘best’ bloggers are the same guys that have been setting themselves the goddesses and gods -the idols they worship. They don't want anyone to make negative criticism about these goddesses/gods; the whole thing is basically absurd!”
Bloggers were quick to respond, both in comments and on their own. From Dennis Matanda:
I fully understand that there is need to be open and direct – but to sour a club you found in existance is a little absurd. I was there for the first BHH and intend to keep going….
Magoola was a bit less tempered in his reaction, which took the form of a letter to S.A.G.E.:
I am not sure what got into you, but broadcasting your ignorance as featured on Country boy’s blog is uncool. Not only is it played out, it’s disgusting….
Blogging is such self-indulgence that you shouldn’t be harboring such opinions about it. Besides for all the preaching you do, what were you doing at those Blogger Happy Hours held at a bar?
Cheri defended BHH:
That’s why it’s called a blogger happy hour. They go there to meet Witty, intelligent, sexy and ridiculous people. People that will sit down and have a laugh at the end of the day. Oh, c’mon, they do it only once a month. Does it need to be a conference of sorts. Do we always have to discuss World Politics? It’s called a happy hour because we wanna just go to hang out. Not to wear hear phones and broker peace agreements.
S.A.G.E. managed to a find supporter in Phantom, who commented on Cheri's post:
i read SAGE’s blog and scoff at some of the things he says. but i also find some gems over there.
Without mentioning the blogger uproar, Ivan brings S.A.G.E. and BHH while live-blogging the Ugandan Blogumentary, a short film produced by four Danish students who came to Uganda in April:
Oh look its Sage, and Dee… and Rev returning the Nokia…and wrong-looking candle holders. Bad Mateos, BAD!!
Ladies and Gentlemen: Happy Hour!!
Expat blogger Kelly calls attention to another recently published documentary:
Yesterday they had a show on called “Return to Uganda”. It featured a young (strikingly beautiful) Canadian/Indian journalist whose parents were expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin when she was a child returning to the family home and taking stock of current race relations and politics between Asian Ugandans and Black Ugandans. If you have any interest in Uganda it was a great little special. Paul got really angry watching it, especially when Idi Amin's son, Taban Amin, was being interviewed. It brought tears to my eyes to see the recent violent riots on television. Filmed after the Mabira Forest riots in Kampala, it was the first time I had actually seen video footage of the anti-Asian protestors in action, burning cars and beating up Indians. Crazy to think that is my little Kampala. You can supposedly watch the special on YouTube.
And Iwaya closes the week with a tribute to Sam Cooke:
Switch that phone off. Let the curtain drapes down or throw them off! Fix me that drink. Hey, take off your shoes and let your feet get some air. Ain’t no need to be formal here. Cooke is in the house. I have been listening to Cooke since the beginning of this week. I have been reveling, drinking in, marveling, sitting back and then jumping up and stomping to a voice so pure, so rich, so varied, so beautiful, I can hardly believe it has taken me this long to listen to Cooke.