Former presidential candidate and musician Robert Kyagulanyi popularly known as Bobi Wine has accused the leadership of Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) of turning the association into one of beggars.
While commenting about his fellow artists who met with Gen. Salim Saleh in Gulu recently, the ‘Kyarenga’ singer who claimed to be the first secretary of the association (UMA) with Silver Kyagulanyi as Chairman said that, artistes have turned Uganda musicians Association into a beggars Association.
“In all this, we have seen very few artistes bold enough to stand in solidarity with fellow artistes and with the Music and creative industry. Uganda Musician’s Association (UMA), an association which we started to fight for the industry has been loudly silent about all this injustice. It was reduced to a beggars’ association. It is very sad to see that the very person who destroyed the music industry has finally been able to make artistes bow down in humiliation to worship him. Oh what a shame,”Bobi Wine wrote.
In a long FaceBook post, Bobi Wine reminded fellow artistes of how the government had come up with strict and oppressive rules on the artistes industry which required an artiste to submit their lyrics to the Minister of Gender for approval before producing the artistic work.
“Artistes are aware that about two years ago, the regime brought very oppressive laws targeting the industry. Among the laws proposed was a requirement that an artiste must submit his or her lyrics to the minister of Gender for approval before producing any artistic work. Another ridiculous one was a requirement for artistes to get permission from the government before they are allowed to perform abroad,” Bobi Wine stated.
It should be remembered that a few days back a number of artistes met with Gen. Salim Saleh to be given handouts to take them through the current Covid19 lockdown.