General Caleb Akandwanaho AKA Salim Saleh has called on Uganda’s creative industry to take a central role in the country’s tourism development and wider economic transformation, using the national premiere of Back to the Source: The Nile as a platform to underscore the sector’s untapped potential.
Speaking as Guest of Honour (via video link) at the Uganda National Premiere and Gala Dinner held Saturday at Méstil Hotel & Residences, Saleh framed the documentary within the broader wealth creation agenda, urging artists and filmmakers to see their work as an economic engine.
“Wealth creation must be explored, created, and delivered. Through this documentary, you have explored and created – and you are now delivering value. That is the philosophy of wealth creation. After the construction industry, the creative sector is the most linked with other producers. That is why we have continued to support it,” said Gen. Salim Saleh, Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation.
The premiere, attended by about 300 guests from government, the diplomatic corps, private sector and the creative industry, marked the first screening of the documentary on Ugandan soil after its international debut in Guangzhou, China in December 2025.
The film, directed by Derrick Ssenyonyi and executive-produced by Uganda’s Consul General to Guangzhou, Ambassador Judyth Nsababera, has already attracted over 73 million viewers across Chinese digital platforms, signalling rare global reach for a Ugandan production.
The documentary follows Nsababera on a personal journey back home as she confronts a lifelong fear of water by tracing the River Nile from its source in Jinja through key landscapes including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kisoro highlands, Lake Mburo plains and Murchison Falls, before concluding in western Uganda’s agricultural heartland.
In her address, Nsababera positioned the film as both a personal and diplomatic project aimed at redefining Uganda’s global narrative.
“Uganda is not simply a place to visit — it is where life begins. From Jinja flows a river that has shaped civilisations, feeding empires and inspiring belief across centuries. Yet the Nile has rarely been told from its source. In a world full of places to visit, people are searching for meaning. This film offers Uganda as an origin, not just a destination,” she said.
She added that storytelling is increasingly central to economic diplomacy, particularly in competitive global markets.
“Diplomacy has evolved into economic and commercial diplomacy. In China, where nearly 200 countries are competing for attention, Uganda must stand out. We have to tell our story differently and visually. How others see us shapes opportunity, investment and movement, but it starts with us. Before the world understands Uganda, we must understand ourselves,” Nsababera said.
Director Derrick Ssenyonyi used the occasion to highlight structural imbalances in the global content economy, arguing that African creators continue to face systemic disadvantages in monetisation and distribution.
“YouTube pays African creators about USD 100 for every 100,000 views, while creators in Europe earn around USD 1,000 for the same views. That gap is nearly 90 per cent. Some platforms want to own and influence the story in ways that do not align with our values. For a Ugandan film to be shown in cinemas, you often have to pay for a slot, while foreign films are bought and promoted. The system is uneven,” he said.
Ssenyonyi announced the launch of boldnarrative.tv, a dedicated African streaming platform aimed at giving local creators control over distribution and revenue.
Development partners also framed the film within Uganda’s broader socio-economic landscape, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) linking storytelling to tourism and livelihoods.
“Back to the Source: The Nile tells Uganda’s story with honesty, beauty, and ambition. It offers something no brochure can — an emotional entry point into Uganda’s soul. Tourism is not just an economic sector; it is a development strategy. Every visitor supports livelihoods across the value chain, creates jobs for women and youth, generates income for rural communities, and supports the protection of Uganda’s natural and cultural heritage,” said Ms Nwanneakolam Vwede-Obahor, UNDP Resident Representative in Uganda.
Government officials echoed the economic argument, pointing to the film’s potential to drive tourism inflows and foreign exchange earnings.
“If just 500 people in China watch this film and 300 decide to visit Uganda — each spending between USD 3,000 and USD 4,000 — imagine the foreign exchange that generates. Uganda is already diversifying its global economic partnerships, with new markets emerging beyond traditional Western destinations,” said Hon. Henry Oryem Okello, Minister of State for International Affairs.
The premiere also spotlighted industrialisation efforts under Operation Wealth Creation, with the Namunkekera Rural Industrial Centre in Nakasongola district highlighted as a model for local investment.
“By giving land for a single dollar, we performed a lifetime investment that attracted 40 industries. These are no longer just foreign projects — because they sit on our soil and employ our brothers and sisters, they are Ugandan investments driving our future,” said Eng. Ronald Kibuuka Ssempebwa, Principal Engineer at the centre.
Organisers described the event as more than a film screening, positioning it as a statement on ownership of narrative and cultural identity.
Back to the Source: The Nile is now available for streaming globally on Bold Narrative at a fee of UGX 10,000 (USD 2.99), in a move aimed at making Ugandan stories accessible to both local and international audiences.