The upcoming events promised a series of unexpected twists. Just three days prior to the scheduled concert on Friday, June 9, the police made a declaration that the Sitya Danger hitmaker, Alien Skin, had not been granted permission to hold the concert.
This announcement came in the wake of a tragic stampede at Freedom City Mall, where some attendees lost their lives during a New Year's Eve celebration. Consequently, the police introduced new guidelines for organizing concerts.
Abitex, the main promoter of the ill-fated event, was also in charge of organizing Alien Skin's debut concert. Thus, when the police initially stated that the concert had not been cleared, it didn't come as a surprise to many.
However, a few hours later, a letter approving the concert was issued, causing quite a stir and sparking speculation.Concerns were particularly raised among artists associated with the Uganda National Musicians Federation. Pallaso, who serves as a vice president within the Federation, found himself facing fierce competition from Alien Skin.
Despite spending several months promoting his upcoming show, indications were becoming apparent that a failure was on the horizon.
Eddy Kenzo, the president of the Federation, was determined to find answers. Being a close friend of Pallaso, Kenzo initially attempted to engage Alien Skin's fanbase but found no success.
He then shifted his attention to the promoters. Juma Balunywa, the spokesperson for the Federation, and Moses Lubulwa from Luba Events joined Kenzo and other musicians in a meeting. To their surprise, Balunywa revealed that Abitex had conversed with Balaam Barugahara, who had been promoting Pallaso's Love Fest Concert. Together, they had made the decision to schedule Alien Skin's show.
Interestingly, Barugahara had previously expressed disappointment in Abitex through media interviews for organizing Skin's concert on the same day as Pallaso's. Abitex served as the president of the Uganda Promoters Federation, with Barugahara as his deputy. The Federation had previously agreed not to hold competing shows, so it raised doubts among junior members when their leaders seemed to disregard this agreement.
According to Kenzo, Abitex and Barugahara had reached a compromise regarding the Alien Skin show. Pallaso had recently engaged in a physical altercation with Alien Skin, generating significant buzz for both concerts and garnering sympathy for the latter.Although the orchestrator behind the assault remains unclear, Balaam Barugahara admitted in an interview that promoters have previously utilized singer rivalries as a marketing strategy for concerts.
During the meeting attended by musicians, Luba, and Balunywa, representatives from AfriAid, including its founder Esther Akampumuza, were also present. Akampumuza has close ties to Gen. Salim Saleh and is the owner of Serene Suites, located in Mutunde Hill, where the musicians' federation often holds its gatherings.
Gen. Salim Saleh wields significant influence in the entertainment industry, particularly through Operation Wealth Creation (O.W.C.), of which he is the head. O.W.C. has sponsored events like Miss Uganda, and Sylvia Owori, the founder of Miss Uganda, now holds a directorship at O.W.C. Given his connection, Gen. Salim Saleh has interacted with numerous influential figures in the entertainment industry, including renowned artists like Jose Chameleone, Bebe Cool, and Bobi Wine.
During the meeting, one of the AfriAid leaders called Abitex and Barugahara. Abitex confirmed his agreement with Barugahara regarding the Alien Skin concert, but Barugahara abruptly ended the call. Observers speculate that, with his extensive connections, Barugahara had the potential to obstruct the Sitya Danger concert. Very few individuals in the music industry, if any, possess the level of influence that he does.
According to the guidelines implemented after the Freedom City incident, promoters are required to write a letter to the Inspector General of Police (I.G.P.) prior to a concert. The letter must include details such as the concert venue, expected attendance figures for better planning, and the measures being taken to ensure crowd control, including the use of hand probes, walk-through machines, K9 units, and scanners.
In Uganda, it is widely known that individuals with influence can exploit these requirements to obstruct a concert, especially one that was announced just four days before the event. Promoters typically submit their letters to the I.G.P. two weeks to a month in advance of the concert.
Some individuals also pointed out the fact that Alien Skin was able to move through congested parts of Kampala in a car without a number plate. While he is not the only musician with such a car, he is not at the same level as prominent musicians like Kenzo who possess such vehicles.
It is worth noting that nearly all the major promoters in the music industry were allegedly involved in organizing Alien Skin's concert. This includes Musa Kavuma of KT Events, Abitex himself, Balunywa, Bajjo, Emma Serugo, Halima Namakula (a singer and money lender), and Tonny Sempijja, who works with Gen. Salim Saleh under O.W.C. Sempijja has even had a meeting with President Museveni at the State House.
Some of these promoters were also involved in organizing Bobi Wine's canceled Kyarenga concerts, for which they received compensation from the government. People familiar with concert promotions will tell you that promoters often strike lucrative deals, especially when working with artists that the government is interested in.
Since Bobi Wine entered politics, the government has been perceived as attempting to use musicians to counter him. For instance, a promoter organizing a show with artist A could claim financial losses and threaten to sue the artist. In response, the distressed artist may seek assistance from the government, which then compensates the promoter. As a result, the promoter earns both from concert proceeds and government support. Now, with Alien Skin, if properly supported, he has the potential to become the next breakout star from the ghetto.Despite the government's attempts to sway the ghetto population using various intermediaries after Bobi Wine entered the presidential race, there appears to have been minimal impact. Even Bucha Man, a former associate of Bobi Wine, was appointed as a presidential advisor on ghetto affairs and put on the State House payroll.
In addition, there are reports that businessman S.K. Mbuga purchased tickets worth millions for Alien Skin's concert and has pledged to invest hundreds of millions to organize a fight between Skin and Pallaso. While Skin is said to have agreed, Pallaso's participation is yet to be confirmed. In interviews, Pallaso expressed his willingness to engage in a fight with Alien Skin. As a former bar bouncer, Alien Skin has the opportunity to make significant progress if the right moves are made.