By Nabimanya Ronald
In the recent past, a worrying and shameful trend has emerged within Uganda’s creative sector; particularly among a group of promoters who have chosen to turn their fangs against the very hand that once uplifted them. These individuals, in a show of utter disrespect and entitlement, have gone so far as to camp at General Salim Saleh’s gate in Gulu, hurling insults and abusing him some even stooping so low as to call him “mukopi.” The audacity and lack of gratitude is beyond comprehension.
To understand the gravity of this betrayal, one must recall the events of 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when the country was under lockdown and the creative industry had been brought to its knees, General Salim Saleh extended a hand of compassion. Artists, bouncers, promoters, and other creatives whose livelihoods depended on gatherings were rendered jobless and hopeless overnight.
Out of sheer sympathy and commitment to national development, General Saleh invited these groups to Gulu to forge a structured path forward. He worked tirelessly to organize them into formal groups, channel them toward the right government programs, and ensure they were recognized by relevant ministries. He didn’t have to but he did. He went above and beyond, not for personal gain, but because he believed in the potential of Uganda’s creatives to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
Fast forward to today there is no lockdown, events are happening, and the economy is fully reopened. Yet, these very promoters have made it a habit to turn to General Saleh every time they face losses in their own private businesses. They bypass responsible ministries, skip industry organizations, and instead run to social media, blackmailing and harassing a man who once fought for their place at the national table.
What’s worse is that they have normalized this behaviour weaponizing social media to push for individual bailouts, all while spreading hate and misinformation. This is not advocacy. It is not activism. It is opportunism and emotional blackmail. The same man they demonize is the one they still shamelessly beg to help them access government programs. How do you insult a man and then demand his support in the same breath?
This is not how serious industry players behave. This is not how responsible citizens act. General Saleh handles numerous groups across Uganda, many of them more disadvantaged and in need than these promoters. Do those groups behave with such arrogance and recklessness? Do they resort to insults when their personal demands aren’t met?
The sad truth is that some individuals within the creative industry have turned goodwill into a business model. They mistake government assistance for a lifetime pension. They confuse leadership with personal debt. They forget that support during a crisis does not translate into a blank cheque for eternity.
It is high time the government steps in and regulates the creative sector with clear policies and structures. Genuine promoters and creatives are being overshadowed by entitled voices who neither represent the majority nor the professionalism the industry deserves. These few individuals are poisoning the well for everyone making the entire sector look ungrateful and chaotic.
General Salim Saleh’s generosity should not be mistaken for weakness. The creatives who truly want to build a sustainable industry must rise above this culture of entitlement and distance themselves from those who are using social media not to promote art, but to destroy trust.
Let us remember: respect, gratitude, and accountability are the pillars upon which lasting partnerships are built. Without these, no industry creative or otherwise can thrive. The writer is Publisher, Author and Concerned Citizen who can be reached via: bishanga.ronald@gmail.com. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
