The Chairperson of the Federation of Performing Artistes in Uganda (FPAU) Andrew Benon Kibuuka has asked police to intervene in the bottle pelting incidences that have rocked the entertainment in recent times.
Last week, musician Ibrahim Mayanja alias Big Eye became the latest victim to face the wrath of angry revelers when he was pelted with bottles and forced off stage at Spice Diana’s Freedom City concert.
It was the second time this month that Big Eye was being pelted.
Speaking to the NBS UNCUT team, Kibuuka said that we can not deny the fact that politics infiltrated the music industry but we should not allow that to separate the performers from the audience.
Kibuuka asked police to intensify security during concerts to ensure those that throw bottles to artistes are arrested in order to curb the growing trend.
“I call upon the Uganda Police to put in place cameras and arrest these people that throw bottles. They are not so many and you could find that it is like 20 people who do it. Let them intensify the security,” Kibuuka said.
On the allegations that some artistes ‘plant’ people in the audience to pelt them with bottles so that they can attract the attention of the President, Kibuuka maintained that let them be arrested because it is those suspects that will tell us that were indeed ‘planted’ by the artiste.
Kibuuka however said that artistes, like any other Ugandan have a right to participate in politics of the country but cautioned that they should stay away from preaching hatred and insulting others because this is what annoys the audience.
“Artistes have a right to go into politics as well what I ask them to do is not to allow politics to separate us from the audience. We never saw bottles in the days of Judith Babirye and Kato Lubwama who went into politics much earlier. What have the recent politicians done or said that has annoyed the public to pelt them?” Kibuuka asked.
Musician Moses Ssali alias Bebe Cool was the first artiste to be pelted with bottles in 2018 while performing at Lugogo Cricket Oval.
Since then, several artistes including Big Eye, Catherine Kusasira and Jennifer Nakanguubi alias Full Figure have been pelted and booed off stage in what is seemingly a growing trend.
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