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By Gilbert Mwesigye
Musician Eddy Kenzo is doubtful of Ykee Benda’s potential to take the Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) forward. Kenzo reasons that Ykee has spent a short time in the music industry and, therefore, commands little respect from the old guard.
Ykee is the current UMA president. He assumed office about a month ago after Sophie Gombya announced that she was resigning from the position to join politics.
Musicians are currently protesting against new regulations that require each artiste to submit lyrics to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) before releasing a song. They are also required to acquire permits before performing at any stage.
According to Eddy Kenzo, musicians will need someone who can influence the entire industry to rise up and protest the new regulations. He suggests that Ykee has failed.
Kenzo says he respects Ykee as a talented artiste and friend but he is not going to shy away from speaking the ‘truth.’ The singer relayed his opinions through a live video on his Facebook page on Monday. Kenzo is currently quarantined in Uganda after returning from Ivory Coast where he had been stuck for months due to border closures occasioned by coronavirus. He says he is going to make sure the laws are scrapped once he is out of quarantine which is expected to last 14 days.
Kenzo is not the first artiste to publicly doubt Ykee’s potential. Singer A pass also opined sometime back that Ykee is not the right person to lead the pack. Gravity also echoed the same.
UMA was established last year to unite artistes under one umbrella and effectively push their causes. The association, however, faces criticism from some musicians. Bebe refused to join the association apparently because of lack of proper organization. Chameleone also does not subscribe to it.
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