Mukono Municipality MP, Hon Betty Nambooze Bakireke has called upon Ugandan artists to stop sitting on the fence while their country is being plundered; but to rise up and use their talents to push for a political revolution.
Hon Nambooze, however, singled out artists including Spice Diana, and David Lutaro, urging them to “release music for the struggle.”
“We are going to start making roll call; we want you Spice Diana, Lutalo, Weasel, and all the upcoming artists… we need you to give us music for the liberation,” she said.
Nambooze was speaking at the vigil held at the National Theater for the late musician Adam Mulwana, who passed away last Tuesday morning.
Known for his popular song “Toka Kwa Barabara” which he sang for FDC presidential candidate, Col Dr Kizza Besigye in the 2016 election campaign, Mulwana collapsed at his home in Makindye after a long battle with gastrointestinal complications.
In her long speech at the vigil, Nambooze criticized Ugandan musicians for sitting out the political struggle when their country was being mismanaged by the current government.
“At least if you don’t like us (the opposition) and what we are doing, then sing a song praising President Museveni. Sing about what a wonderful job he has done and for his son,” she said.
“The situation we are in, there is no middle ground. You are either here or there. All the counties that have passed through struggles like ours have made it through by having every person in their own sector becoming an activist.”
Nambooze further warned the musicians that their National Theatre is currently being threatened by powerful land grabbers and that soon, it might face the same fate as its neighbor, Shimoni Demonstration School which was demolished in the mid-2000s supposedly to build a hotel for the Chogm conference.
“The death that took Shimoni is coming for National Theater unless you join us,” she said.
The legislator also warned that if musicians do not join hands with opposition politicians, their copyright law, which is currently sitting in parliament will never see the light of day.
