By BigEyeUg Team
Dancehall artist Vyper Ranking has opened up about his decision to walk away from the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF), citing concerns about its financial structure and limited benefit to artists at different stages of their careers.
Speaking during an interview on Rewind on Galaxy TV, Vyper Ranking explained that while the idea behind the federation’s SACCO is commendable, its implementation excludes many musicians—especially those trying to break into the industry without any financial base.
According to the “Tebimala” hitmaker, the requirement for artists to save money before they can access loans makes it difficult for struggling musicians to benefit. He noted that many upcoming artistes need startup capital from scratch but are unable to meet the initial savings threshold.
“The idea of the SACCO is good, but it sidelines some people, especially musicians who cannot earn enough to save,” he said. “Some artistes need startup capital from zero, yet they have nothing to save, so how are you going to help them?”
Vyper Ranking further pointed out that even for more established artists like himself, the financial returns offered by the SACCO do not match their needs.
He argued that being required to save Shs5 million in order to borrow Shs10 million does not make economic sense for someone operating at his level.
“Personally, even if you give me 10 million, that is still little money considering my brand and what I need,” he added.
“If I have to first save 5 million to borrow 10 million, then that does not work for me. In that case, the federation will not have helped me. There is nothing I see that it adds to me. Nothing at all.”