By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: Promoters who organised singer turned politician Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s concerts that were blocked by police are swimming in hundreds of millions of shillings from State House.
Our Spies within State House reveal that the office of the President last week okayed the financial comptroller Lucy Nakyobe to dish out over Shs1.8 billion to city music promoters. The money was compensation to promoters who claim to have incurred losses when police blocked Bobi Wine’s Kyarenga and Kyarenga Extra concerts across the country. The police last year blocked Bobi Wine’s concerts that had been organised at Namboole Stadium, One Love Beach Busabala, in Gulu, Arua, Masaka and other parts of the country, which all in total were over 100 shows. Following the standoff, several promoters petitioned President Yoweri Museveni and State House, claiming that they had lost millions of shillings after paying service providers, advertising shows, printing tickets and making other necessary payments for the shows that were blocked by police. In response to their predicament, State House asked all claimants to relax and submit their claims with State House for compensation.
The first batch of money, which amounted to Shs1.2 billion was released in January this year but some promoters clashed over it, accusing Andrew Benon Kibuuka and his accomplices who included Tonny Ssempijja of allegedly pocketing it yet they had not actually organised any Bobi Wine concert. As a way of solving the impasse, State House decided to summon the promoters one by one to submit their claims. After considering all their claims, the President instructed Nakyobe to pool funds and compensate the promoters, an exercise that was executed and completed this week we are ending. Some of the promoters who claim to have lost millions of shillings after police blocking Bobi Wine concerts include Abbey Musinguzi aka Abittex, Andrew Mukasa of Bajjo Events, Juma Balunywa of Balunywa Events, Dick of Dick Productions, JJ Events, Mzee Bakiddawo, Emma Sserugo, Promoter Fifi, Sarah Nasuuna, among others.
