In 2015 an ensemble of then top local musicians embarked on a music project dubbed ‘Tubonga naawe’ that would be used as a theme song by the NRMO candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for the 2016 presidential campaigns.
The artistes notably ; king Saha, dr.Jose Chameleone , Pastor Wilson Bugembe, Juliana Kanyomozi, the late Radio & Weasel MunG , Rema , Haruna Mubiru and of course BebeCool among others .Arts most especially music, has been for long been used as a campaign voter wowing dynamic for a.long time .
Indeed William Shakespeare noted in his play the “Twelfth Night” that ‘if music be the food of love, play on’ which quote is used to express the idea that music has the power to stir emotions and bring people together.
Those of us old enough remember the ‘ Dp egumire’ for Dr. Semwogerere’s Democratic Party, ‘ Obote Nyamurunga’ or ‘ the Congress of the people ‘ for Dr.Apollo Milton Obite’s Uganda People’s Congress , UPC and yes ‘Toka.barabara’ for Dr. Kizza Besigye and his now sour Party Forum for Democratic Change FDC with many an artiste in studio or stage plotting a fresh campaign theme song, play or skit.
With the 2026 elections around the corner, several artistes who have in the past been allied to certain parties , have since ‘quit’ or freezed allegiance to them like self proclaimed dancehall ‘king’ King Micheal and Big Eye who in the past had always been part of the NRMO advance entertainment team.
This is the sole reason why after a long haul , president Museveni finally met his arts sector based advisers like : Full Figure, Catherine Kusasiara, Butcha Man among others .One shouldn’t be fooled that the duo or the other King ‘Saha’ would brush away a multi million campaign cash deal.
This is supposedly a ploy to better the bargaining power as is the reality with now most Online platforms who are mastering election analysis, reporting and percentage dynamics.It should be noted that this is not limited to the Presidential campaigns but also the member of parliament seats.
However, one should not bufoon with Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform for it is rich and self sustained in this department courtesy of the Firebase and Dream Studios .
The time is now for the artistes to make their talent or trade make a quick buck and they shouldn’t come cheap.
