Revolutionary Digital App to Link Over 60 Catholic Radios in Eastern Africa

He added, “There will be Holy Masses, all sorts of prayers, and even news about the Catholic Church in the region.”

Fr. Andrew Kaufa. Credit: ACI Africa

The Secretary General of AMECEA, Fr. Anthony Makunde reiterated Fr. Kaufa’s sentiments, noting that the digital App, just like the 10-year communication policy also unveiled on August 18, is an attempt by AMECEA to “harmonize” evangelization efforts across the region.

“This innovative tool brings together all Catholic communication media channels in our region into one platform accessible on mobile phones, tablets and computers,” he said of the App that is accessible on Android devices.

Fr. Anthony Makunde. Credit: ACI Africa

Of the 66 radio stations, 19 are in Kenya, 12 in Uganda, 13 in Tanzania, and four in Malawi. Zambia has Zambia nine while six are in South Sudan and Sudan.

Fr. Makunde said that media channels are now gathering in one place for easy access “thanks to the creativity and dedication of the AMECEA Communications team.”

Credit: ACI Africa

Apart from Holy Mass, prayers, and news among other programs, the App also allows for fundraising by individual radio stations, Fr. Kaufa said, noting that contributors will not be limited by geographical location.

“Radio stations can fundraise on the App for different courses. If there is a radio station in Zambia fundraising on the App, anyone with the App can contribute, and not just Zambians,” he said.

The AMECEA official said that the development of the app was inspired by the need for Catholic communicators to be at par with others in the industry, especially with the current advancements in technology.

Credit: ACI Africa

Additionally, AMECEA started receiving requests from Catholic TVs and radios to come up with a platform that unites all the agencies in the region, he said.

“The app was inspired by the very fact that almost every media house is now developing an app. We had been receiving this question, ‘Do we have an app for our Catholic radios, our Catholic TVs?’” Fr. Kaufa narrated.

He continued, “The Bishops’ Conference of Uganda approached us first, saying that they had a Catholic TV and wanted to be linked with other Catholic TVs in the region. Later on, somebody asked us about the radio. That is how we saw the gap.”

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“I also attended a digital summit, and I could see that everyone there was saying that they have an app. I thought as Catholics, we should not be left behind in this movement,” the Nairobi-based Malawian member of the Montfort Missionaries (SMM) told ACI Africa.

The journey towards the realization of the Digital App for Catholic Radios begun in 2022. The challenge, he said, was getting as many radios as possible on board.

Credit: ACI Africa

“Developing this app has been slow,” Fr. Kaufa said, and explained, “Being regional, there was so much to be done and the different radios had to first get permission from their Bishops. Eventually, everyone came on board.”

He also said that the app will be easy to run and may require no finances to sustain.

“Initially, we thought that the app will need many resources to sustain. However, eventually, we came to realize that running the app is almost free of charge,” Fr. Kaufa said.

Credit: ACI Africa

Speaking about the evolution of the radio, and its growing significance in evangelization, he said, “The radio has been removed from the sitting room. People are listening more from their phones than from the big radio.”

“I always agree with those who say that a Bishop without a radio is more or less like a Bishop without a voice. Radio is still very important, more than all other media, especially in terms of evangelization. More people in many parts of Africa can afford radio. If you want to reach your people very easily, you must embrace the radio,” the Coordinator of the AMECEA Department of Social Communications told ACI on August 18.