Pearl of Africa Music Awards (PAM) Awards have for the last 6 years been the biggest event in the local entertainment industry but it is becoming clear the awards might not take place this year. It all started when Uganda Revenue Authority notified the organizers of the event about the over 500Mn taxes that they owed to the tax body.
The figure was later reduced to less than 100Mn but before all that was resolved; one of the major shareholders of the PAM Awards Gordon Wavamuno under Wavah Broadcasting Services (WBS Tv) filed a petition for the company to be closed now that it had failed to manage its affairs. Other Directors are Isaac Mulindwa, Gordon and Morine Wavamuno, Steven Kavuma, Sarah Kirabo, Aga Sekalala and Elvis Senkyanzi.
Management and accountability are some of the issues that have strongly hit the PAM Awards management but the case is right now in the hands of an arbitrator for both parties to resolve the matter but the it is not clear whether the matter would be sorted by the Nov 7 which is the set date for the awards.
Major sponsors like ZAIN Uganda and BELL Lager are threatening to channel the earmarked funds to other channels if the matter is not resolved sooner than later. Meanwhile another set of Awards dubbed Golden Awards taking place this coming Sunday at Nakivubo Stadium with a total of 37 categories. 30 percent of the decisions will be made by sms to 8888.
