By Spy Reporter
Kampala: Celebrated singer Moses Ssali aka Bebe Cool has come under fire for allegedly pocketing approximately Shs3Bn from President Yoweri Museveni, under the guise of setting up an ultramodern music studio in Uganda.
Sources within the music fraternity reveal that Bebe Cool approached Museveni some time back, with a proposal of setting up a modern music studio in Uganda that would make both audio and video recordings to boost the music and film industries in the country. It is said that Bebe Cool convinced Museveni that if he (President) set up the studio, he (Bebe Coo) would give all musicians in Uganda an opportunity to record music at no charge, since it would be a government-funded facility. Bebe Cool argued that this would in turn benefit the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) by garnering support from musicians all over the country, who would in turn use the platform to urge their fans to support the NRM.
Bebe also explained that the music studio would be a SACCO project for Ugandan musicians, which would help them to develop their talents and improve ways of living, since they spend a lot of money whenever they are recording music audios and videos, which they don’t earn in return. Our Spies reveal that Museveni saw sense in Bebe’s proposal and instructed the State House Comptroller Lucy Nakyobe to make sure that the project is funded. However, it is said that when the money was released, Bebe Cool instead opted to set up his own Gagamel Studio which is currently being erected somewhere in Ntinda. Our Spies have learnt that he also ordered for state-of-the-art recording machine, public music system, modern cameras, lights and other equipment which he will use to set up the studio. Spies reveal that Bebe’s consignment of machines is arriving in a few months’ time from the United States of America, where he purchased them.
It should be noted that although Bebe Cool had convinced Museveni that musicians would record songs and videos free of charge at the studio, he maintains that they will have to pay a subsidized fee for the service. He also revealed that musicians who want to record music for free should get in touch with producer Travis Kazibwe aka Dr. Tee, because he is the one running the SACCO studio that was funded by government. This has however sparked off a bitter clash between Bebe Cool and his fellow musicians, who have since threatened to stage a protest as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction. The disgruntled musicians argue that Bebe used their fraternity to hoodwink the President that he was to set up studio for them, yet his intention was to pocket the dime. We shall keep you updated about this exclusive story as more details unfold.
