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Tuesday, February 28, 2017

No winner for Mo Ibrahim Sh500m prize for African leadership

When you read the heading, "No winner for Mo Ibrahim Sh500m prize for African leadership" you might be tempted to ask such small questions as: 
"But why?"
"What does this imply?"
"Anyway, Does it Matter?"
 
Mo Ibrahim, the chairman of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. AFP PHOTO | CARL COURT

Reading the story further, you come across the following response:

It means that recently retired presidents like Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Armando Guebuza of Mozambique and Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, failed to prove they had left a legacy worth rewarding.



The full story goes:

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation says there is no suitable winner, again, for its Africa annual leadership excellence awards.

On Thursday, the foundation said none of the former African heads of State and government met the criteria for the 2015 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership.

It means that recently retired presidents like Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Armando Guebuza of Mozambique and Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, failed to prove they had left a legacy worth rewarding.

Set up by Sudanese-British tycoon Mo Ibrahim in 2006, the Ibrahim Prize is given based on the review of a special committee that includes former diplomats, Nobel laureates, business leaders and democracy activists.

This year’s prize committee was chaired by former Tanzania prime minister Salim Ahmed Salim.

The criteria used by the committee to select a winner include the requirement that all eligible contenders be former heads of State or government who left office in the previous three years.

The leaders should have been democratically elected, served their constitutionally allowed terms and demonstrated exceptional leadership.

In a statement Thursday, Mr Ibrahim, the chairman of the foundation, said he agrees with the verdict of the committee.

“The Board respects the decision of the independent prize committee. When we launched the prize ten years ago, we deliberately set a very high bar.

“We want the prize to shine a spotlight on outstanding leadership to provide role models right across society, as well as supporting Laureates to continue to serve the continent by sharing their wisdom and experience,” he said.

Since 2006, the Ibrahim Prize has been awarded four times.

HUMILITY
The last winner, for the 2014 edition, was former Namibia President Hifikepunye Pohamba, whom Dr Salim described then as having “demonstrated sound and wise leadership" while maintaining "his humility throughout his Presidency.”

Other winners include former Cape Verde President Pedro Pires (2011), President Festus Mogae of Botswana (2008) and President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique (2007). Nelson Mandela was the inaugural Honorary Laureate in 2007.

There were no winners in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.

But the foundation said on Thursday that the lack of winners last year is more indicative of the tough eligibility conditions rather than a sign of poor leadership on the continent.

“The decision by the prize committee is a reflection of the exceptionally high bar set for potential winners rather than any disappointment with the overall quality of leadership on our continent.

“The tough criteria were deliberately set to ensure only the most outstanding would be considered,” said Sophie Masipa, head of communication at the foundation.
Winners of the award receive about $5 million (Sh500 million) spread over a decade and a further $200,000 annually for the rest of their lives.



Tanzania: Artists’ trial postponed for a fifth time

Tanzania: Artists’ trial postponed for a fifth time
 
Mwanacotide

The case against Tanzanian musician Mwana Cotide and music producer Mussa Sikabwe has once again been postponed until 9 March 2017. This is the fifth time their trial date has been pushed.

The two artists were initially set to face trial on 12 October 2016 on charges of producing, singing and distributing a song called ‘Dikteta Uchwara’ (Petty Dictator) that contained “seditious and offensive” content against Tanzanian President John Magufuli.

The October 2016 trial date was postponed to 9 November 2016, then to 22 December 2016, then again to 26 January 2017, then once again to 22 February 2017, and now 9 March 2017.

Tanzanian authorities officially claim the postponements have been due to investigations being incomplete. However, these overhanging charges and frequent trial resets have stifled Cotide and Sikabwe’s ability to work as artists, with Sikabwe’s musical equipment being confiscated and in police custody until the investigation is concluded.

“Not only are the charges against the two artists a gross violation of artistic freedom, but the ongoing confiscation of music instruments continues to take away their livelihoods as artists,” said Freemuse Executive Director Ole Reitov. “We call on the Tanzanian government to drop the charges immediately.”

In November 2016, Freemuse first called for the charges against Cotide and Sikabwe to be dropped and sent a letter to Dr. Harrison George Mwakyembe, Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs. The minister has yet to reply.

The two artists were charged at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court in capital city Dar es Salaam on 28 September 2016 for uploading a video of the song on YouTube in August 2016, as well as “distributing the song with intent to offend” the president, which is against the country’s 2015 Cybercrimes Act. The two denied the charges and are currently released on bail.

Since President Mugufuli took office in October 2015 and the Cybercrimes Act was enacted in May 2015, fourteen people have been arrested and charged for insulting the president on social media. So far only one person has been convicted of those charges, reported Global Voices on 30 September 2016.


Makonda, Nape: History can be a good teacher

Makonda, Nape: History can be a good teacher


Nape NNauye, Tanzania's Minister of Information, Culture, Artists and Sports

Paul Makonda, Nape Nnauye etc, may find it helpful at this point in time, to make reference to and learn from what happened in 1990s during the second phase of Tanzanian government led by Ali Hassan Mwinyi (mzee Ruksa). Then, the then Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Mary Chipungahelo aka Chips came at loggerheads with Augustin Mrema who was Minister of Home Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of Tanzania.


Madam Chipungahelo stood out as a daring, fearless and bold lady who openly opposed Mrema’s blatant and arbitrary leadership style which she said was too much and was meddling with the functioning of other organs of the state. Shortly after, Chips was removed from heading  


Paul Makonda, Regional Commissioner for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Mary Chipungahelo (Chips) Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner early 1990.

Augustin Mrema, renowned Minister of Home Affairs and 'Deputy Prime Minister of
Tanzania early 1990s.




Ugandan Pastor selling "Holy Rice"

Gone are the days when people would seek for blessings, prayers, counselling etc as some of the free services that the church provided. Church goods and services have been monetized and as long as they are branded; "holy" this, " Miraculous" that...the followers get determined to obtain it.

From selling holy water, holy handkerchiefs, holy pens etc; Pastor Kakande of the Synagogue church in Uganda recently innovated "holy rice" for his flock  and he emphasizes that whoever uses it shall be blessed and receive whatever he/she is yearning for in life


Pastor Kakande’s Holy Rice






Prophet Samuel Kakande of the Synagogue Church of Nations at Mulago is not new to controversy and recently, the Prophet introduced Holy Rice that  has spiked too much attention.

This is not the first time the Prophet is selling Holy merchandise. At his Church, he sells holy handkerchiefs, holy pens, holy water among other things.

He is among the pastor’s in Uganda that have been criticized for so long as some call him a fake pastor,

Kakande is  closely acquainted to  Nigerian  Pastor TB Joshua who is also no stranger to many controversies with his recent prophecy of Hilary Clinton being the winner of the US President elections where she lost.

According to the Prophet, his rice is holy and offers miracles to whoever buys it and takes it as a meal.

“Believers should sprinkle some of the holy rice in their normal rice to release blessings.” Prophet told his flock during their weekly service.

This has raised a lot of controversy within the public ragging war against him on  social media  since he is allegedly selling it for Shs50, 000 compared to the market price of ‘ordinary’ rice which is Shs 3, 000.

His congregation is  believed to be able to get miracles through hankies, ‘holy water and now holy rice the most beneficiaries to this new development are the young people looking for jobs,spouses,wealth and favor in Uganda.
http://www.trending.ug/pastor-kakandes-holy-rice/


Sunday, February 26, 2017

BBC: Witches cast 'mass spell' against Donald Trump

...and Maybe this tells the world the ugly truth that black, white, yellow or brown, American, African, Arab or Latino; we are simply human beings.




 Witches cast 'mass spell' against Donald Trump


25 February 2017


Most of Donald Trump's opponents believe they will have to wait four more years to see him leave the White House.

But America's witches are more optimistic.

At the stroke of midnight on Friday, followers of witchcraft across the US performed a mass spell designed to remove the president from office.

A Facebook group devoted to the ritual has attracted over 10,500 likes, and coined the hashtag #magicresistance.

The development has sparked fury among Christian conservatives, who have accused the witches of "declaring spiritual war".

Writer Michael Hughes, who describes himself as a "magical thinker" posted a version of the spell online, saying he had seen multiple versions on private witchcraft groups.

In it, he suggests using a stubby orange candle, an unflattering picture of Mr Trump, and a Tower tarot card.

Image copyrightAFPImage captionTarot cards are used all over the world to assist in magical rituals
Followers of magic are told to carve the president's name into the candle using a pin, recite an incantation, and then burn his picture in the flame.

'You're fired!'

The words of the spell include a plea to the Wiccan deities to "bind Donald J Trump, so that his malignant works may fail utterly" and so that he "shall not break our polity, usurp our liberty, or fill our minds with hate, confusion, fear, or despair".

Mr Trump's supporters don't escape either, as the spell asks that their "malicious tongues" be curbed too.

Mr Hughes suggests that instead of the normal closing line, "So mote it be!", witches could burn the former Apprentice host's image with the words, "You're fired!"

The writer said he published details of the spell because he felt "it would be very welcome to a lot of people".

Under the tenets of witchcraft, a "binding spell" does not wish harm on its target, but aims to stop them from doing harm themselves.

"This is not the equivalent of magically punching a Nazi," Mr Hughes wrote. "Rather, it is ripping the bullhorn from his hands, smashing his phone so he can't tweet, tying him up, and throwing him in a dark basement where he can't hurt anyone."

MaryPat Azevedo, who took part in the ritual in Arizona, said she saw the ritual as "a unity prayer".

She told the BBC: "A true witch would never cast a spell on anyone without their permission. This prayer is for wellbeing and peace for all beings."

Ms Azevedo said she hopes to see "physical, emotional, and spiritual changes in Donald Trump and American politics".

'Urgent warning'

Participating witches plan to repeat the spell on days when there is a waning crescent moon, until Mr Trump leaves the Oval Office. The next ritual is set for 26 March.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the president's followers are less than thrilled.
Joshua Feuerstein, an evangelical pastor who has previously condemned Starbucks for taking Christmas symbols off its seasonal red cups, issued an "urgent warning", saying "millions of witches" were trying to curse the president.
"Their bippity-boppity-boo isn't more powerful than the name of Jesus!" he declared in an online video.
Image copyrightAFPImage captionSome of the president's supporters see the spell as an assault on Christianity (file picture)

The Christian Nationalist Alliance, a conservative religious group, named 24 February a "day of prayer" to counter the magical fraternity.

In a post online, it called the witches "occultists" who want to summon dark spirits against Mr Trump.

The group said it will urge people to pray every time the spell-casters reach for their candles.

Thus far, Mr Trump has failed to comment on the battle between Bible and broomstick.
source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39090334  

Tarot cards are used all over the world to assist in magical rituals

Tanzania: It’s a Working not Feasting phase- A samosa should be ok

Tanzania: It’s a Working not Feasting phase- A samosa should be ok





Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan serving out samosas to servicemen of the Fire and rescue brigade during the swearing in ceremonies of the Commissioner General of the brigade, Thobias Andengenye. State House, Dar e Salaam.


Thobias Andengenye, taking an oath to become Commissioner General of the Fire and Rescue Brigade (Zimamoto) before H.E. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Samosas

And God spoke to 'Trump' saying: "Do not do bad things to foreigners living in your country."

Do not do bad things to foreigners living in your country


Leviticus 19:33-35

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying;

33 “Do not do bad things to foreigners living in your country. 34 You must treat them the same as you treat your own citizens. Love them as you love yourselves. Remember, you were foreigners in Egypt ("Immigrant" from another land). I am the Lord your God!
35 You must be fair when you judge people, and you must be fair when you measure and weigh things.”

 
US President Donald Trump

John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of United Republic of Tanzania
Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa

President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi



Friday, February 24, 2017

SHOW ME YOUR FRIENDS......

Show me your Friends



Wema Sepetu


H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni





Thursday, February 23, 2017

WAR AGAINST DRUGS AN UPHILL TASK

'Enormous' £1m cannabis haul found in raid on 1980s nuclear bunker


Russell Hope, News Reporter,Sky News 3 hours ago 
Police have found "thousands" of cannabis plants, valued at more than £1m, in an underground nuclear bunker built during the 1980s.
Six men, aged between 15 and 45, have been arrested following the raid on RGHQ Chilmark in Wiltshire, which was constructed to house and protect government officials and dignitaries in the event of a nuclear attack.
Wiltshire police officers targeted the site, which is disused but still intact and has its nuclear blast doors in place, following a tip-off.
Detective Inspector Paul Franklin said they found a huge operation inside.
"There are approximately 20 rooms in the building, split over two floors, each 200ft long and 70 ft wide," he said.
"Almost every single room had been converted for the wholesale production of cannabis plants, and there was a large amount of evidence of previous crops. This was an enormous set-up.
"It is almost impossible to work out how many plants are inside, but we are talking thousands rather than hundreds and we would estimate the value of the crop at over £1 million."
Officers waited outside for people to leave the bunker on Wednesday night, saying the site was all but impossible to enter.
Three men, aged 27, 30 and 45 and from Somerset, were arrested as they left the building, and officers used their keys to enter.
Inside they found several thousand cannabis plants at various stages of growth and three other males, aged 15, 19 and 37, all of no fixed address, believed to be working as gardeners.
The three males found inside the bunker were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production, while those held outside were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production and human trafficking offences.
It is not the first time large hauls of the class B drug have been found in unusual places - or even in a disused nuclear bunker.
In 2015 a man was jailed for two-and-a-half years for growing more than 800 cannabis plants in Drakelow Tunnels, in Worcestershire, a 285,000 sq ft network of tunnels stretching for about three miles.
Last year, police found at least 1,000 cannabis plants at a luxury nine-bedroom country mansion in March, Cambridgeshire.


TANGANYIKA LAW SOCIETY (TLS) PRESIDENCY: WHY NOW?

SOURCE: The CITIZEN

Should 10 year olds be given contraceptives?

10-year-old children to get family planning

By PATIENCE AHIMBISIBWE

KAMPALA. The Ministry of Health has proposed to have children as young as 10 years old access family planning services as one of the means to reduce early pregnancies among adolescents.
Commonly known birth control methods include condoms, diaphragm, contraceptive pills, implants, IUDs (intrauterine devices), sterilisation and the morning after pill.
The ministry’s policy statement requires all health facilities to provide quality services to all adolescents irrespective of age, sex, ability to pay, marital status, school status, education level, location or ethnic origin.
Some of the target beneficiaries to the family planning services include universities, schools, religious centres, youth clubs in schools and Local Council/Youth Council meeting places. Others are workplaces, recreational centres, electronic and media platforms and key social gatherings.
“There is need to focus efforts on delaying sex debut and increasing contraceptive use among sexually active adolescents. All adolescents are eligible for the health services. Increase age-appropriate information, access, and use of family planning among young people aged between 10 and 24 years,” reads in part the document titled ‘National Policy Guidelines and Service Standards for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.’
This fourth edition of the 2016 policy is a product of efforts of the Ministry of Health, development partners, civil society and implementing partners.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Ms Vivian Nakaliika, yesterday said the policy was launched some time back but is currently under review. However, she could not divulge the progress on the review.
She referred this newspaper to Dr Blandinah Nakiganda, the assistant commissioner for health services at the ministry. Ms Nakaliika promised to provide us with Dr Nakiganda’s contact today as she had already left office at the time of the interview.
According to the Ministry of Education standards, a child is expected to enrol for Primary One when they are six years old.
This means a 10-year-old, if they have not repeated a class, would be in Primary Five when they start family planning.
Fr Jonathan Opio of Human Life International and Mr Steven Langa of Family Life Network, in a joint statement, called upon parents to resist such family planning attempts which the duo claim are being advocated by donors.
“It is clear that unscrupulous people with support from powerful multi-lateral organisations have mooted an agenda of introducing and promoting comprehensive sex education in schools and institutions of learning. We reject and sternly oppose this ill-intentioned move,” the duo said.
The teachers, through their umbrella, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu) have equally condemned the policy, insisting that moral values must be maintained among the young people and urged the government to protect the young generation from being “exploited by money minded Ugandans”.
“We need to ensure our own children get the right information, material, content and guidance from the right people. Government should not lose its way because somebody in the business community is trying to take advantage. We should not be misguided by donor funds and give away our own children,” Mr James Tweheyo, Unatu general secretary, said yesterday.
In the document, Dr Nakiganda acknowledges the contribution of Prof Anthony K. Mbonye, the Director General for Health Services for his leadership and direction and Dr Kaggwa, Commissioner for Community Services for steering the team to the end.
Other doctors acknowledged include Dr Aliganyira Patrick, Dr Mike Kagawa, Dr Charles Kiggundu, Dr Moses Muwonge, Dr Jane Nabakoza, Dr Olive Sentumbwe-Mugisa, Sarah Malalay Ahmadzai, Nakitto, Grace Ojirot, Prof John Chrysostom Lule and Ssensalire Rajab.
Dr Nakiganda says the policy is expected to guide the delivery of quality integrated sexual and reproductive health services and contribute to reduction of maternal and newborn morbidity, disability and mortality.
The policy further suggests to consolidate implementation of family planning policy, interventions and delivery of services in multiple sectors to ensure a holistic contribution to social and economic transformation.
The report notes that overall teenage birth rate or the proportion of birth per 1000 women aged 15-19 has decreased from 204 to 135 between 1995 and 2011 with 24 per cent giving birth to their first child before turning 19.
It highlights that the policy is to create an enabling legal and social-cultural environment that promotes provision of better health and information services for young people.
When contacted for a comment yesterday, Mr Patrick Muinda, the Ministry of Education spokesperson, said he would not make a response until he had read the document.
“We have not received any information in that regard,” he said.
Uganda, like the rest of the world, has committed to the post Millennium Development Goals agenda to embrace a new strategy of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It is through this that the ministry of Health is pushing for sexual and reproductive health and rights and empowerment of girls and women as ‘central to sustainable development and creating a world that is just, equitable, and inclusive”.
“Uganda ranks among the top 10 countries with high maternal, newborn and child mortality rates despite attempts in improving health of children, adolescents, women and men in the country. Only 20.4per cent of Ugandan women use a modern method, the unmet need for family planning stands at 34per cent and contraceptive prevalence at 30 per cent while teenage pregnancy is high at 24per cent resulting in unsafe abortions that account for an estimated 28 per cent of maternal deaths annually,” the ministry’s policy document says.
Last year, Saturday Monitor revealed that 100 schools had been introduced into teaching disguised homosexuality through an unauthorised curriculum dubbed: “The World Starts With Me.’
The curriculum was introduced through a computer-based comprehensive sexuality education curriculum which was developed in 2003 by Butterfly Works and World Population Foundation (WPF), in close collaboration with SchoolNet Uganda, young people, teachers and artists in Uganda.
Target
The curriculum targeted secondary school students and their teachers. For instance, it portrayed homosexuality and masturbation as fulfilling sexual habits among people who have consented and one way of controlling unwanted teenage pregnancies and early marriages.
“People can also feel attracted to the same sex or both sexes. If this lasts a long time, they might be homosexuals. People are homosexual not by choice but by birth. However, if a boy forces a boy to have sex with him or a girl forces a girl to have sex with her, this is not homosexual but sexual abuse,” the curriculum read in part.
The document was later disowned by the ministry of Education and the National Curriculum Development Centre. The subject also attracted criticism from President Museveni who discouraged the teaching of sex education in schools.
Reacting to the findings, Fr Silvester Arinaitwe, UJCC Executive Secretary, condemned the material saying it will destroy Christian values on whose foundation the country is built - For God and My Country. He explained that they had a list of schools which have been participating and are planning to take the matter further to establish what impact it has caused on graduates from these institutions.
“We have come to know that SchoolNet is implementing this curriculum. We are very disturbed about the content, which we have seen. We condemn it. It is very dangerous for our children. Some of these NGOs come here disguising that they are going to support us in education when they have a hidden dangerous agenda. We are going to do more research and we shall act. We can’t accept this to go on in our schools,” Fr Arinaitwe charged.
pahimbisibwe@ug.nationmedia.com
http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/HealthLiving/10-year-old-children-family-planning/689846-3805510-7k8usgz/index.html

Music censorship Stories in East Africa:Two songs banned for ‘defamation’

Two songs banned for ‘defamation’

Two songs by musician Mathias Walukagga – a prominent ‘kadongo kamu’ artist in Uganda’s capital Kampala – was banned from being played or distributed as from 3 November 2009 on the pretext that they were meant to demean and belittle a prominent business man in Kampala, Ssalongo Kasawuli, who is the owner of Samona Cosmetic Products. According to this report from   Freemuse’s correspondent, the root of the dispute is a personal rivalry between the two men which literally turned into a ‘song war’




By Lingson Adam, Freemuse’s correspondent

The two songs, entitled ‘Bwino W’omutembeeyi’ (The secrets of the hawker ‘spilled’) and ‘Tuleppukke’ (Well, let’s deal with each other) have been denied play, performance and/or distribution following issuance of an indefinite court order by Mengo Chief Magistrate Phillip Odoki in Kampala.
In addition to the ban, Mathias Walukagga was sued, and as a result was remanded at Luzira prison, Kampala, in November 2009.
Sued for defamation and attempted blackmailing
On Monday 9 November, Mathias Walukagga appeared before magistrate Immaculate Busingye at Makindye court for defamation and attempted blackmailing.
The plaintiff Ssalongo Kasawuli claimed that Mathias Walukagga attempted to blackmail him by demanding 60 million Ugandan shillings as compensation for holding back his new song ‘Bwino W’omutembeeyi’ which is alleged to be damaging to Kasawuli’s business.
Further prosecution pointed out that ‘Bwino W’omutembei’ and its forerunning song ‘Tuleppuke’ carry messages which were aimed at defaming Kasawuli and his Samona petroleum body lotion products. The plaintiff argues that the messages were damaging to him personally and his Samona Company and products thereof.
According to a report for the Ugandan newspaper New Vision by Eddie Ssejjoba, there was drama as onlookers jammed the court, while others remained outside cheering Walukagga, who responded with thumbs-up signal as he was escorted to the bus which took him to Luzira Prison.
Walukagga was, however, bailed out three days later following his lawyers filing in application for release. The music companies Abtex Productions and X-Zone International in return threatened to sue Kasawuli, arguing that they bought the right to market the songs from Walukagga and had invested millions in the project.
Behind the scene
Unconfirmed reports in Kampala have it that what has been happening — including the songs’ ban and the songwriter being remanded — is simply an outburst of the over one year long stalemate grudges between Kasawuli and his Samona products on one hand and Walukagga and his music on the other.
The dispute between the two ‘stars’ is said to have stemmed from a woman they both are keen on. Walukagga allegedly had an affair with this woman but they both called it quits after some time. Stories further hold that eventually the complainant, Kasawuli, took over the lady ‘name withheld’ after winning her heart.
It is said that Walukagga (now former lover of the lady) silently complained that he was being threatened by Samona (successor) who thought that the artist was still having an affair with the said woman. This situation is what is portrayed in Walukagga’s song ‘Tuleppuke’.
‘Tuleppuke’
Things came to the open when Walukagga released his high hitting song ‘Tuleppuke’ which literally means ‘Well let’s deal with each other’ in March 2009.
The story behind the lyrics of Tuleppuke is about the conflict between a rich and a poor man where the underlying source of conflict is a woman whom the poor man had a relationship with but they had their own issues which led them to peacefully separate. The rich man later begins to have a relationship with this woman, but again he holds grudges with the poor man because he thinks that the poor man might still be having affair with her. He even threatens to kill him through telephone calls and other means.
The poor man tries to explain that his relationship with the woman ended long ago, but the rich man insists and continues with his threats.
The poor man asserts that irrespective of money, all of them are human beings, being rich doesn’t make anyone super-human. The poor disregards all the death threats claiming that after all, death is human’s destiny; katuleppuke — so let’s deal with each other perpendicularly and see how far we can go.
He thus remains firm and promises that then it was only a beginning of a long battle, probably against a class he does not belong to.
The story behind the lyrics in ‘Tuleppuke’ concludes by offering a piece of free and voluntary advice to the omutembeyi — the ‘hawker’, the rich business man — to stick to the selling of the merchandise instead of biffing up for a woman.
Song to hit back: ‘Majegere’
According to The Uganda Vision, Kasawuli came to the open as soon as ‘Tuleppuke’ was released claiming that the song was an attack on him and his products, and that the words behind the lyrics were dangerous to the prosperity of his cosmetics business. He threatened to sue the musician for defamation. He did not file any case of the kind for quite long time, and reports had it that he had chosen to handle the issue ‘strategically’.
It was alleged that Kasawuli hired and paid for some artists to compose some songs to hit back at Walukagga. One of the musicians, allegedly hired by Kassawuli, was the artist Fred Nkambwe who recorded with Pentagon Videos the song ‘Majegere’ which is perceived to refer to the Kasawuli and Walukagga row.
The story behind the lyrics of ‘Majegere’ portrays the rich business man as a big caterpillar or bulldozer, and puts forward a clear warning that the irresponsible musician can never manage the ‘bulldozer’. The video shows a beautiful woman who has been deserted in misery by her lover, a musician, and then she meets this rich man who takes pity and falls in love with her. Eventually he takes very good care of her, which irritates the former lover who in turn plans to stage a fight, but then receives a stern warning to retreat or else ‘it will break his knees’.
It was reported that as part of his ‘strategic hit back’ to his foe, Kasawuli influenced different radio stations where he is a main advertiser, to blacklist Walukagga’s ‘Tuleppuke’ from air play. It was also reported that Walukagga was banned from performing at specific events and concerts sponsored by Kasawuli’s Samona company.
‘Bwino W’omutembeeyi’
Then an impasse followed and remained between the two for quite some time, until in October 2009 when Walukagga released his ‘Bwino W’omutembeeyi’ which contextually would mean giving data or profile of someone, where literally bwino is a Luganda word for ink and omutembeyi refers to a vendor.
The song’s lyrics takes further the story in ‘Tuleppuke’. This time the poor hits the rich man by referring to his business products ‘jellies’ as of very poor quality. He narrates that all the lotions do is to darken people’s skin and that they would preferably be fine for use as shoes polish, and that when he tried to use these cosmetics they even attracted mosquitoes to bite him.
The coming into air of the ‘Bwino W’omutembeeyi’ is said to have sparked off the latent hostility, leading to court case.
Apart from the earlier allegations to Walukagga, Kasawuli claims that the singer is also being used by Samona’s business opponents to undermine his products before the public, and that Walukagga illegally solicited millions of Ugandan shillings from the city tycoon so that he could conceal the new song.
Dismissed allegations
When interviewed by Freemuse, Walukagga dismissed such allegations:
“I don’t know anything about this, Samona (Kasawuli) is depending on hearsays. He said I’m being used by Movit Company whom they are in the same business but sincerely I don’t have even any phone number for anyone working with Movit,” he told Freemuse’s correspondent in Kampala.
Walukagga refutes all other allegations claiming that he would never target any particular person, and that if one had followed his music career they would be able to see that he has carried out this principle all the way through.
In the interview with Freemuse, Walukagga said:
“My songs have nothing to do with Samona together with his products. In fact, if you listen to all my songs eight years back, you notice they have almost the same trend. I mean: my songs are about people’s daily lives, they are directed towards certain situations and do carry some message for the people.”
“So, because Samona is rich, he mistakenly thought I was singing about him, ” said the musician.
“I make sure my songs have meaning. So they are intended for people to learn from, apart from enjoying them. Songs like ‘Omuzadde tagulwa’ (a parent can never be bought!) is directed to those people who forsake their parents especially when they become rich; ‘Ekimansa naku’ (every one can suffer) is about those who stigmatize the sick, especially those with HIV/AIDS, forgetting that anyone can die at any time.”
Kasawuli was quoted in the Ugandan Observer saying that he could not share a woman with Walukagga. According to the newspaper, the woman being referred to underlie the whole row was “a bar attendant at AY Makindye before she went to work at Kasawuli’s Pacify Hotel in Wakaliga.”
‘Bwiino wekkomera’ – song about life in prison 
As his message to his audience and fans concerning Ugandan music generally and his music in particular, Walukagga had this to say: “I want to encourage them that I’m still strong, I will continue to with my music, I’m not threatened because my songs are not intended to harm anyone,” and indeed his two days stay in the remand prison were suffice to bear him clues and insights as to write another song on the ‘Bwiino wekkomera’ (truth about the life in Ugandan prisons) which has started to be played in several radio stations in the country.
His new song talks about miserable life in prisons and that whoever wishes another person to be imprisoned is wishing death to that person.
Court case rescheduled 
Walukagga was to appear in court again on 11 December 2009. However, in a telephone interview on 5 January 2010 he told Freemuse that when his lawyers went to the court on the said date they were told that the next hearing was rescheduled to sometime in February 2010.
Moreover Walukagga refuted reports that he had signed an agreement with Kassauli to resolve the despite out of court and work collaboratively in business, only admitting that the two parties had some discussions on the issue but it was yet to be concluded.

Source: Click HERE

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