On 18 September 2025, Kampala buzzed with energy as hundreds of designers, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and creatives packed the hall for the URSB-PAFA Symposium on Brand Protection. It was a landmark occasion: not simply another meeting, but a wake-up call. In the Pearl of Africa, voices that have long called for stronger protection of creative intellectual property were finally heard, amplified by government leadership and by the creative sector itself.
The venue overflowed with hundreds of creatives, designers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers who had turned up in overwhelming numbers for a first-of-its-kind Brand Protection Symposium, jointly organized by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and the Pearl of Africa Fashion Alliance (PAFA), with support from the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI).
The participants gathered to reminisce the days when originality went unprotected, where copying was treated as harmless imitation, are coming under renewed challenge. And for good reason.
The theme for this year’s symposium could not have been more timely: “Protect Your Creativity – Register Your Trademarks and Designs.”
Opening the day, Mr. Ronnie Nsubuga, Founder and Managing Director of PAFA, challenged creatives to rise to the occasion. “Ugandans have not been keen on protecting what they have been creating. This is the opportunity for us to protect our brands,” he said passionately, warning of the dangers of ignoring intellectual property.
Nsubuga pointed to examples from global fashion, such as Zara being accused of replicating other brands’ work and profiting massively, while originators lost revenue and recognition.
“Fashion shows have been a free luxury, but we need to protect them seriously. Copying is cheap and very profitable, and leads to a huge loss for the affected brand or company. The time has come for us, in the Pearl of Africa, to protect what’s ours — and I call for unity.”
His words set the tone: a clarion call for Ugandan creatives to embrace protection not as an afterthought, but as the very foundation of sustainable success.
Taking the podium, Ms. Mercy Kyomugasho Kainobwisho, Registrar General of URSB acknowledged the historical hurdles Uganda once faced in protecting creativity. “Way back, the laws did not favor brand protection since Uganda had to first wait for the UK’s approval of any law concerning intellectual property. But now, we have it right at home,” she declared, drawing applause from the crowd.
Her speech blended policy with personal testimony. She recalled growing up as “a daughter of a tailor,” proud of her roots in a craft that has clothed families and sustained communities for decades.
Kainobwisho recounted an emotional encounter with an elderly tailor she found working by the roadside. On learning that he had spent over 20 years in the trade and was struggling to educate his daughter, she stepped in to sponsor the girl — now a medical student named Faith.
“You need to protect your brand because it is gold. Let us not forget where we came from,” she urged. But she was not all sentiment. Kainobwisho was clear-eyed about practical action, saying, “As URSB, when we register businesses, we don’t just register but ensure that we grow them. Don’t limit yourself — if you are a designer, expand. Learn from others. Branding matters. Have a label. Protect it before you lose it. Enforce your right, because if you remain silent, it will be taken overnight.”
Her advice to creatives included, registration, partnerships, attending global showcases, reading and research, defining a niche, and never underestimating collaboration.
The symposium offered both technical and inspirational sessions including; Training sessions on trademarks and industrial designs — the bedrock of brand protection. Panel discussions featuring designers and entrepreneurs who have grown their brands through IP protection. Exhibitions and showcases that celebrated originality, sustainability, and innovation in Ugandan design. and Awards that recognized outstanding contributions, with Adima Muhammed Mawejje taking home the Outstanding Designer Award.
The fashion showcase was the “icing on the cake,” dazzling the audience and proving that Uganda’s creativity can rival global stages, if properly protected.
Why Brand Protection Symposium?
Events like this symposium go beyond speeches. They reshape how the creative sector sees itself: Mindset Shift – Transforming creativity from a hobby into a protected business asset. Legal Awareness – Clarifying the laws and remedies available to creatives. Networking – Building collaborations among designers, policymakers, and investors. Enforcement – Ensuring creators know their rights and how to act on them. Cultural Identity – Protecting Uganda’s heritage from exploitation and appropriation and Economic Growth – Unlocking potential for exports, licensing, and investment in the creative economy.
From the day’s dialogues, several steps emerged as essential which include; Make IP Protection Affordable & Accessible – Simplify processes and reduce costs for emerging designers. Strengthen Enforcement – Establish clear, fast channels for resolving infringement cases. Embed IP in Education – Include brand protection in art, design, and business curricula. Support Structures – Incubators, mentorship programs, and creative hubs offering legal and branding expertise. Global Engagement – Enable Ugandan designers to participate in international showcases and Digital Protection – Equip creatives to safeguard designs in the online marketplace among others.
According to our Writer Emuk Benjamen who was at the symposium, he observed that at least by the close of the day, something stood out, Uganda’s creatives are hungry for protection, recognition, and growth. With the overwhelming turnout, emotional testimonies, and practical guidance, the symposium was more than an event, it was a rallying point.
The challenge now is action. As Ronnie Nsubuga reminded participants, “Copying is cheap, but originality is priceless. Let us unite to protect what’s ours.”
And in Ms. Kainobwisho’s words, “Protect it before you lose it. Enforce your right. Your brand is gold.”
The future of Uganda’s creative economy may well hinge on whether this call is heeded.
