| Intro | Composer professor of Music |
| Was |
Musician Composer |
| From | Uganda |
| Type | Music |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 1 January 1925 |
| Death |
8 April 2012, Kampala, Kampala District, Central Region, Uganda (aged 87 years) |
George Wilberforce Kakoma (27 July 1923 – 8 April 2012) was a graduate of Trinity College of Music and Durham University who composed “Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty”, Uganda’s national anthem.
Prior to Uganda’s independence, three sub-committees were established to deal with Uganda’s national symbols. The sub-committee for the creation of a national anthem encouraged Ugandans to submit their proposals.
- “The compositions had to be short, original, solemn, praising and looking forward to the future. They had to be harmonised in the usual four parts-soprano, alto, tenor and bass,” said Kakoma in an interview.
In July 1962, the committee chose Kakoma’s composition. It had taken him a day to compose the music and lyrics for Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty.
Kakoma died on 8 April 2012 in Kampala’s Kololo suburb, aged 89. He had been ill since February 2011.
Publications
- George W. Kakoma, Songs from Buganda, Univ. of London Press, London 1969, ISBN 0-340-09438-9 has died on 4/8/2012