OGENDA: Bobi Wine outs new song that predicts end of Museveni rule

National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine has released a new song stinging President Yoweri Museveni entitled “Ogenda.”

“Ogenda” is a Luganda word that is loosely translated as “You’re Going.”

Bobi Wine says Ogenda is made directly for the sitting president's ears who he says has turned back on his word to bring democracy to the country.

“My new song #Ogenda sent directly to Museveni,” Bobi Wine said in a tweet.

In Ogenda, Bobi Wine accuses President Museveni of abuse of power since he ascended to the highest office in January 1986. He says President Museveni's government the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has overseen worse human rights abuses than the leaders it fought to oust.

The singer who contested for president in the 2021 general election remembers many friends and associates whose deaths he claims were brought about by state agents under President Museveni's control.

The song, released with a video, juxtaposes clips of a young Museveni charismatically promising a fundamental change to Uganda in 1986 with scenes of UPDF soldiers dragging civilians off vehicles. Some of the civilians are being beaten or bleeding profusely.

Bobi Wine says that many previous Ugandan leaders like Idi Amin Dada (1971-1978) ignored warnings from singers and other voices about the wrongs they were perpetuating on the nation only to fall from power shortly after.

He says that it is his turn to warn President Museveni that his abuses have been noted by all and there will be a reckoning in future.

Bobi Wine sings that all these violations could be a sign that Museveni’s government is at its weakest, and that it is “leaving” anytime soon.

He reveals that the song was inspired by the late Christopher Ssebaduka, who was a Kadongo Kamu artiste.

Bobi Wine released the song yesterday on his personal YouTube page as well as the National Unity Platform channel. The song has already racked in nearly 200,000 views in under 24 hours.

The song has also gone viral on other platforms like Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.

Bobi Wine has not been able to perform as a musician on stage since 2018 when he was blocked by the Uganda Police Force. Attempts since then to hold concerts at his Busabala beach along Entebbe road have similarly been blocked.

It has excited a number of commentators and politicians like Dr Stella Nyanzi. Nyanzi said that if for nothing else, she appreciates Bobi Wine for how he uses his talent to speak truth to power.

“The lyrics of Bobi Wine have always moved me - be it positively or negatively. As a writer myself, I have total reverence for his mastery as a wordsmith,” Nyanzi said.