Kampala. The organisers of the annual Buganda Kingdom festival known as Nkuuka fete have disagreed on whether singer-cum-politician Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi) should be allowed to bring politics to Kabaka’s Mengo Palace on December 31 or not.
A day after police blocked Bobi Wine’s music concert at One Love Beach for lack of clearance, the two co-promoters took parallel lines on whether Kyadondo East Member of Parliament should be allowed to mix music with politics.
The director of Luba events, Mr Moses Lubuulwa, told reporters at a briefing in Lubiri yesterday that all revellers who will turn up for the Nkuuka fete have been barred from wearing red outfits.
Mr Lubulwa also explained that Bobi Wine like any other artiste was paid to perform and that at the upcoming Nkuuka, he should “desist from politics”.
“No red berets, no red [colours]. Security takes red for something else. Red is identified with Bobi Wine and that colour is related to chaos. Security has issues with red,” he said.
“Bobi Wine has performed in Nkuuka all 10 years, it has been running. He is coming as a singer not politician. This is not his show but a show for Kabaka,” Mr Lubuulwa said.
However, his co-organiser, Mr Abbey Musinguzi of Abitex Limited, who arrived moments saw no sense in the Lubuulwa’s caution and sought to be told whether politics was banned from Uganda.
Mr Musinguzi poured cold water on the events director’s pronouncement and instead continued to ask further confrontational questions;
“Have those people stopping you from wearing red bought for you the clothes to wear other than red? People should come in any colour of their choice. Is politics barred from this country?”
“It is not in any way wrong to wear any colours. No one will stop you from putting on your colours. Come in red, yellow, green, name any colours.” Mr Musinguzi said.
Without directly asking Bobi Wine to desist from politics, Mr Musinguzi said, Bobi Wine better known in Lubiri as “Omubanda wa Kabaka” is very respectful of his King and will not play politics at an entertainment event.
To meet Museveni
Mr Musinguzi said the promoters would seek a meeting with President Museveni to understand whether Bobi Wine has officially been barred from holding any music concerts in Uganda.
“We have lost enough and we know that the issue of Bobi Wine is on the President’s table. From January 3 next year, we will seek appointment with the President to seek a final directive from him as the highest office bearer,” Mr Musinguzi said.
“We want it from him to say that Bobi is a barred musician so that promoters stop making losses (from flopped shows),” he said. The promoters have since petitioned Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and voiced similar concerns.
Bobi Wine had his annual show: “Busabaala Yee Sseebo” cancelled by security on Wednesday and blamed the artiste for organising the concert without prior permission.
Meanwhile sources from Mengo told Daily Monitor the organisers were given two choices, to either politicise the concert and forget the end of year fete or adhere to security guidelines and the concert proceeds without any hitches.
Yesterday, the deputy Resident City Commissioner, Mr Daniel Kabunga Ssentamu said politics will not be allowed in the fete and reminded artistes that Nkuuka is not a political podium.
Mr Ssentamu also denied reports that Bobi Wine had been stopped to perform.
However, Mr Lubuulwa warned that if police insist on dropping Bobi Wine from the list and with genuine reasons, as organisers, they would obey.
At the Nkuuka festival, the Kabaka, who is always the chief guest, normally uses the event to usher in the new year.
By Daily Monitor
