By Our Writer
I just can’t understand Ugandans who are bashing Uganda’s music artistes, comedians and entertainers for coming out and openly showing their support for Museveni.
Some of them have vowed never to listen to their music (which is stupid), some have even vowed never to vote for them in any competition. Why? Because they disagree with their democratic choice. I guess this confirms the intolerance of Uganda’s opposition and why we are likely to witness a magnified version of intolerance once these chaps get to power.
So I want to ask, did you listen to Juliana’s music because it was good music or because you simply had mercy for her and thought she shared your line of thought. If you didn’t listen to her music because it was of good quality, but because you thought she was in the opposition, then it was never support in the first place.
Where do we draw the line between a person and their art? For example, one may hate Museveni as a person but an objective person will never fail to acknowledge that he’s been Uganda’s best political strategist. One may hate Kanye West as a person but an objective person will never stop listening to his music simply because of hating their personality.
There’s a musician as a person and there is their music, that’s the art.
We are all looking very stupid bashing these artistes and entertainers. It now looks clear that we never had genuine support and love for their music and comedy. All we had was conditional love for their art. That’s despicable. That shows how much of hypocrites we are.
To even go to the extent and blame the death of Juliana’s son on the poor health services. Really? First of all, she could afford to take her son to Nairobi. So she’s enjoyed economic prosperity, clearly on an individual basis, she even has a reason to support President Museveni. She’s experienced economic growth.
I will stand firm and say that I may hate a person but I will never fail to ackwowledge their art as long as it’s of great quality. There’s a line between the artist and their art. In Uganda however, we think the two are the same. We are the biggest fattest hypocrites I have seen.
Please do Juliana a favour, don’t vote for her music in any competition if the reason you voted for it in the past was simply because you thought she belonged to your side. But if your support was embedded in the fact that she produces awesome music, then you must by all means, whether rain or shine vote for her regardless of her political inclinations. When Elton John stood up and boldly declared himself as gay, we didn’t dismiss the fact that he’s one of the best musicians to ever grace this world. When he married his gay partner, that didn’t discredit his good music.
So unless you are telling me that Juliana’s music is crap, then don’t vote for it. But if you are not supporting her music anymore because she chose to side with Museveni when you expected her to stand with Besigye or Mbabazi, you are the most nauseating hypocrite!!!
To the Julianas, Bebe Cools, Anne Kansiime’s of this world. I may not share your political line of thought but I will always support your art as long as it continues to be excellent. I will only dismiss it on condition that its quality reduces.
You have a right to support anyone you desire. That is democracy. Some of us have a right not to even vote or have a side. That is still democracy.
