Parents and teachers of young people hold the primary responsibility of making children love reading as a skill.
This was emphasized by Bugweri district Woman member of parliament, musician and literary activist Rachael Magoola as she officiated at the launch of A Lunatic Sanity at Goethe-Zentrum premises in Kamwokya, Kampala on June 10, 2025.
“Parents should make their children love the book before the phone, and learn the values of empathy, loving nature and respecting social order. Children must walk barefooted to respect and appreciate nature, starting at age zero… The first AI [artificial intelligence] is you the parent. AI must not replace humanity,” she counseled.
The launch event was part of the FEMRITE Week of Literary Activities that stretched from June 6 to 10, 2025 and sponsored by Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) and individual friends of FEMRITE.
Other activities included a ‘bonfire mic night’, a two- day book exhibition, tribute to the recently fallen literary legend Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and training workshops, all at FEMRITE offices in Kamwokya; and visits to creative and imagination clubs in select secondary schools.
The bonfire mic night involved storytellers, poets, artists and filmmakers sharing their creations, having fun and doing short interviews. It also included celebration of and interaction with Yvonne Zabu, joint winner of Island Prize 2025, and Harold Ankwasa, winner of the Unesco Safe Campuses Change Maker Competition for East and Southern Africa 2025.
A Lunatic Sanity, deliberately oxymoronic, is an anthology of poems compiled and edited by FEMRITE from students of six universities – Kyambogo, Muni, Kabale, Makerere, Bishop Stuart and Gulu – and some guest poets. It concentrates on issues of mental health, environment and climate justice.
The book launch, under a special theme, ‘Non-fiction writing and the making of social policy’, was preceded by a discussion panel about writers’ social responsibility and social impact in Uganda.
The panel included four-time author Dr Miria Matembe and renowned poet, actress and activist Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva, among others. Magoola urged writers to be authentic to their historic and social roots.
“As writers, you have to know where you come from, but keep learning from other different peoples. Read widely. As parents, don’t allow the formal education system to undo our children! We need to take personal and direct responsibility; don’t sit and complain!… It’s sad, we no longer reach out to one another, yet many people are grappling with mental battles and losses.”
Hilda Twongyeirwe, the executive director of FEMRITE, appealed to the public for donations towards the planned construction of the FEMRITE House building in Kampala.
FEMRITE [Uganda Women Writers’ Association], established in 1995, has groomed many literary and artistic talents, both male and female, with a good number of them winning regional and international awards. It welcomes anyone that does writing as a hobby or as a serious and fulltime activity.