My friends abandoned me in times of trouble, I had to look for Museveni for solace- Kenzo

Singer Edirisa Musuuza also known as Eddy Kenzo has opened up on the circumstances under which he met President Museveni at State House in Entebbe early this week.

Following the meeting, music promoter Balaam Barugahare and fellow singer Moses Ssali also known as Bebe Cool said it was their efforts that ensured Kenzo met with Museveni.

However, while speaking during Mwasuze Mutya, a morning program on NTV, Kenzo said despite the problems he was battling with, he never got any help from the people he always referred to as friends.

“I was depressed and thought of killing myself. I started thinking a lot of weird stuff. I needed help but in that situation, I realized I was alone,”Kenzo said on Friday morning.

Despite the trials and tribulations, he was facing then, Kenzo early this month won the African Entertainer of year award at the African Entertainment Awards in USA.

The Sitya Loss singer on Friday said after winning the award, he thought all was well with everyone that he had kept the Ugandan flag high and on return, he expected it would be a bed of roses but said things turned out different.

Kenzo insisted that on the day he returned, his close friends abandoned him as Police tried to arrest him.

“When I returned, police fired tear gas in our procession. They wanted to arrest me. I was frustrated and asked why this would happen to me. I realized only Jennifer Full Figure, Ssegirinya(Muhammad), Khalifa(Aganaga) were at the airport and not any other person as this went on,” the singer who seemed bitter said.

“The cause (I was fighting for) has many lawyers and politicians but on that day I had no lawyer or any other person. When I called them, they told me my thing was big. Not even one was making a call to me. I had to get my fans out of the coolers. ”

The show moderator tried to ask Kenzo whether he meant People Power movement by mentioning the “cause” but he was elusive.

The singer said, a number of his supporters, especially boda boda riders who were escorting him were arrested by police and their motorcycles impounded but he never got help from anyone.

He noted that what made matters worse were the constant calls from the relatives of the jailed fans who demanded that he ensures they are released or else he would face it rough with them.

“I had to look for people leading this country but whoever I turned to, told me I was inciting violence. They also asked me why the people I always trusted could not assist me through this. I asked if there was a way I could meet the President for peace talks,” the singer revealed.

He said at first, he was told the President was angry with him but the singer noted he was ready to apologise any wrongdoing.

“God is good he (Museveni) accepted to meet me. We had a talk and he was happy. He said he was a parent and that I qualify to be his son or grandson and told me next time to be a good and respectful youth. He was good to me. We agreed to disagree.”

The Sitya Loss singer said since the meeting with Museveni, he resolved to calm himself down but also be an agent for peace in the quest for regime change.

“I am not a politician, I am not going to ask anyone for votes. What does it cost for me to calm down?  We need to be peaceful at the end of the day. I don’t want to segregate my fans, we need to be peaceful.”

When asked whether he was back to normal after meeting the President, Kenzo answered in the affirmative.

The singer was again put to task to explain whether what he had done was not an act of betrayal to some of his fans who always saw him as an opposition leaning musician, Kenzo said it was fine with him because he was not in war with anyone.

“Can you imagine meeting the president being a problem and people say you betrayed them? It is like it was a battle yet there has never been a war. He is the President and in case of change, he is the one we should start with . The truth is that we need change but we need to do it peacefully. Patience pays.”

He added, “We should hear what we must hear but not what we want to hear. I decided to unite my fans be it two or three of us, we shall be peaceful as we ask for what we want.”

The development comes at a time when Kenzo told a news conference on Thursday that he will not campaign for any politician, be it Bobi Wine, in the forthcoming elections.