MUMBAI: The BBC World Service has hit the road to meet its many listeners across Uganda and to broadcast programmes live till Thursday 27 October 2005.

The BBC World Service roadshow will visit major towns in Uganda promoting connectivity with flagship programmes Network Africa, Fast Track and Africa Have Your Say. Audiences will be given the opportunity to directly engage end-Say).with the programmes via a special SMS text number – 00 44 77 86 20 2008 – and requested to Save This Number, Send Your Message and Have Your Say (Save-S

The BBC's top African presenter, Paul Bakibinga, himself a Ugandan, is the face of the campaign which tours towns in Southern Uganda – Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Jinja, Tororo and Mbale, as well as the capital, Kampala. Along with encouraging people to Save-Send-Say with the BBC's special SMS text number for the newly re-launched Africa Have Your Say and Fast Track programmes, he will also distribute new scheduling information and collect questions for the programmes.

Bakibinga says, "This is a great opportunity to meet our audiences. They know and recognise us by our voices, and we can hear them, too, as they call, message or email our programmes, engage in the BBC's global conversation."

BBC World Service regional executive editor, Africa and Middle East Region Kari Blackburn says that the main aim of the Uganda roadshow is to get people involved with the BBC output and encourage them to have their say. "We will be talking to them, asking them to fill in questionnaires, and encourage them to have their say on issues which are important to them. We will also give them a chance to suggest subjects they would like to hear discussed in the future. We want them to feel that all our programmes are really for them and about them."

BBC World Service editor African Productions Martin Davies says, "Uganda is one of the BBC's biggest markets in Africa for English-speaking audiences with about two million Ugandans listening to us weekly. We want to showcase our special African programming to them. Our top presenters, Bola Mosuru, Vera Kwakofi and Solomon Mugera Omollo are all coming to Uganda to broadcast their programmes - Network Africa, Fast Track and Africa Have Your Say – live from Kampala and Jinja."

BBC World Service is an international radio and online broadcaster delivering programmes and services in 43 languages. It uses multiple platforms to reach 149 million listeners globally, including SW, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels. It has more than 2,000 partner radio stations which take BBC content, and numerous partnerships supplying content to mobile phones.

Africa, Have Your Say - the hour long interactive BBC radio and online programme formerly known as Africa Live! - will now increase from one day a week to broadcast every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 4 pm GMT.