- The current stagnation at UMA and the alleged influence peddling, now proves that the presidency of the once shunned and ridiculed association has finally graduated into an influential position.
Veteran gospel singer, media attaché, events MC and Uganda Musicians’ Association Policy Board member, Isaac Ruccibango aka Rucci, has accused Hon. Betty Amongi Akena, the minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development, of meddling into the affairs of the Uganda Musicians` Association (UMA) electoral process in a bid to protect her vested political interests, the Investigator reports.
This accusation comes after Hon. Amongi, in whose docket the Entertainment industry and UMA fall, stayed the elections for the new governing body of the association following a petition by members of its fourteen upcountry clusters, citing arbitrary unfairness in an election that was due at the National theatre in Kampala on 28th June 2022.
The internationally acclaimed singer alleges that Hon. Amongi, and some of her ilk at the ministry only found interest in the elections, after the leader of the National Unity Platform Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine endorsed Mansoor Lubega alias King Saha to run for the presidency office. “Don’t you find it odd that immediately after Bobi endorsed Saha, we started having issues with her ministry?”
He added that; “Government is dipping its fingers in a pie they have no business with. It’s not in government’s interest to help the arts but it’s all about the Bobi wine factor. They now believe that we are not easy to control after his acceleration into politics. They wouldn’t want his people to control events at UMA,” Rucci charged.
With a total of 3100 UMA registered members of which only 1300 are in the upcountry clusters, Rucci asserts that the minister’s other recommendation of securing funds to a tune of about UGX195M for those from upcountry intending to participate in the exercise, is a recipe for disaster that will not come to pass and thus, maintain the current status quo at UMA.
It is now, also being alleged that 80% of the current UMA executive body is NRMO-leaning and that many are beneficiaries of the once famous ‘GULU MEETINGS’ with Operation Wealth Creation overseer, Gen Caleb Akandwanaho aka Salim Saleh`s handouts. Their alleged associate, Ambassador Philip Idro has in the recent past been camped at the National Theatre.
“The Meddling of Amongi into the affairs of UMA, using some of its members and the Francis Ojede-led UNCC will only strip her naked”, warned Rucci. The UMA presidency is being contested for by three candidates with the serving president Cinderella Sanyu aka Cindy (`NRM`) and King Saha (‘NUP’), IN THE LEAD. The current stagnation at UMA and the alleged influence peddling, now proves that the presidency of the once shunned and ridiculed association has finally graduated into an influential position.
Author Profile
- Mr. Jacko David Waluluka is another unique entertainment and general investigative news writer, a field he has diligently covered for over fifteen years. He’s also the Chief Administrator at The Investigator. He can easily be reached via [email protected]
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