By BigEyeUg Team
Media personality and events organizer Douglas Lwanga has opened up about one of the most difficult moments of his career, revealing that organizing music shows nearly cost him his life.
Speaking about his decision to pause the popular Purple Party tours and other local shows, Lwanga explained that the break was necessary for the sake of his mental and physical health after enduring immense pressure from event promotion.
According to Lwanga, one of the most challenging experiences happened during a Purple Party event in Mbale, where heavy rains threatened to wipe out an investment of more than Shs120 million.
“It started raining at 10am and it stopped at 8pm going into 9pm. Imagine a show you’ve invested in Shs120 million and then you see your money going like that. I don’t know where the malaria came from but I got it,” he said.
The Capital FM presenter revealed that the stress of the situation took a serious toll on him, forcing him to seek medical attention on the very day of the event.
However, despite being admitted to hospital, Lwanga said he could not afford to stay away because the show had to go on.
“I was admitted that day but I couldn’t stay at the hospital as the show had to go on, so I left with the drip in my car,” he recounted.
Upon reaching the venue, Lwanga stood at the entrance while receiving treatment as artists began their performances. At the time, attendance was still low due to the long hours of rain, leaving him worried about the fate of the event.
Fortunately, things took a dramatic turn as crowds began streaming into the stadium.
“I stood at the entrance with my drip and artists started performing but luckily when they did, people thought the show had already started and the people started lining up and luckily by 11pm, the stadium was full,” he added.
Lwanga said experiences like these are among the reasons he decided to step back from organizing large-scale events for a while, noting that the pressure, financial risk and health challenges associated with the business can be overwhelming.