The quest to have music celebrities on one’s side has of late become a new normal, with many either taking up places in elective politics or aligning with a political side of choice.
Chief among them have been Kyadondo East MP Bobi Wine who has already picked nomination forms from the Electoral Commission to challenge for the Presidency and Joseph Mayanja aka Chameleone who will be challenging FDC’s new boy Erias Lukwago for Kampala City Lord Mayorship.
As for Moses Ssali aka Bebe Cool, his openly professed loyalty falls under the ruling National Resistance Movement Party although he seems uninterested in appearing on the ballot.
In 2016, a few personalities from the celebrity world such as Peter Ssematimba, Judith Babirye, Kato Lubwama saw themselves elected to the August House, probably serving as an inspiration for others to join the lucrative money making venture in the following general election.
In the same election, Uganda’s most popular artistes led by the now Bobi Wine’s Chameleone teamed up to come up with a mega campaign tune ” Tubonga nawe” which arguably helped President Museveni re-elected leaving opposition forces bitter.
As of now, the biggest topical issue has been the swap which has seen Ibrahim Mayanja alias Big Eye veilingly moving to support NUP’s Bobi Wine while multi award winning sensation Edrisa Musuuza seems all set to make the Kyadondo East outfit his eternal political nemesis.
An ardent People Power supporter in the past, Kenzo started speaking in tongues the moment he met with the country’s Chief Executive in January at the height of a breakup with ex-lover Rema Namakula who later married Dr Hamza Ssebunya.
Although he later professed while in Ivory coast a few months ago that he would unreservedly comb villages to boost Bobi Wine’s Presidential bid next year, the Sitya loss hit maker has done exactly the opposite on return, demonstrating that the legislator is not fit for presidency.
As for Big Eye, who is currently disappointed in ruling party NRM for abandoning him in times when he needed them most, has been welcomed with pomp by People Power supporters thus making him seem regret all the wasted years in NRM.
Currently praised as the country’s ‘greatest of all the time’ by fanatics, the singer has even announced a concert at Lugogo Cricket Oval to match the vibe.
The new signings on both sides has generated a complicated debate in the public on who between the two sides could have reaped bigger out of the development.
With Kenzo being arguably the most trending artiste in the country and one of such on the whole continent, Museveni seems to have hooked a real gem as compared from his Magere counterpart who seemingly picked a faded singer to his team.
The current vibe however shouldn’t be underestimated while quantifying what will be Big Eye’s impact in mobilising for NUP in next year’s elections would be.
If reports on social media are to be put into consideration, and nothing changes between now and later in the year, Big Eye could turn out to be one of the greatest influencers in the country worthy keeping in one’s political camp.
As for the writer’s personal opinion, I find Big Eye himself to be the biggest beneficiary after seemingly turning around his dead public popularity in an instant to swap places with Kenzo especially within Uganda’s urban Popularisation.
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