Renowned singer Mansoor Ssemanda, popularly known as King Saha, has cautioned fellow musician Edrisa Musuuza, alias Eddy Kenzo, against making negative remarks about National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine.
In a social media post, King Saha wrote, "Kenzo, you are my brother, but stay warned to avoid HE Bobi Wine in your bogus talks."
This warning comes after Kenzo accused Bobi Wine of contributing to divisions and challenges within Uganda’s music industry.
Kenzo claimed that Bobi Wine’s transition from music to politics subjected the entertainment sector to heightened government scrutiny, leading to restrictive regulations and performance bans.
“It is a very big problem the artists are facing in the industry. It was because of him (Bobi Wine) joining politics, and the government started to pay keen attention to the industry,” Kenzo said in a local media interview.
The Grammy-nominated artist also criticized Bobi Wine’s public comments labeling some musicians as “beggars,” arguing that such statements tarnish their reputation and diminish public respect for artists.
“Should a leader like him speak like that really? Does he speak to his children like that? Can you speak to someone you love like that? He is making people despise us,” Kenzo said, emphasizing the need for unity among artists and mutual respect between the entertainment industry and politicians.
In response, Bobi Wine defended his position during a press briefing at his home in Wakiso, accusing certain artists of betraying their fans by aligning with the government for financial gain.
“I warned you that these people will make you beggars, and you will end up being despised by those who genuinely support you. They are oppressors, exploiting local Ugandans who have supported you because your songs resonate with their struggles,” Kyagulanyi said.
Bobi Wine also criticized Gen. Salim Saleh, the coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and President Museveni’s brother, for allegedly dominating the music industry despite lacking the necessary expertise.
“The man (Gen. Saleh) sits there and disrespects artists. A guy who can’t even sing one musical note is now the one who controls the music industry because he is the brother of President Museveni and has money to give handouts,” Kyagulanyi charged.
Kyagulanyi further condemned artists for accepting handouts rather than advocating for systemic reforms that could transform the industry.
The debate surrounding Gen. Saleh’s role in the music industry reignited recently when he rejected a promotional song by Omulangira Suuna at a public event in Gulu.
Bobi Wine reiterated his commitment to championing artists' rights through legislative advocacy and pushing for systemic changes to improve the industry.
