Winnie Byanyima, the wife of the renowned opposition leader Rt. Col. (Rtd) Dr. Kizza Besigye, has raised serious concerns over government funds allocated to the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF), led by singer Eddy Kenzo.
Byanyima’s remarks followed reports that Kenzo, the UNMF President, claimed musicians affiliated with the National Unity Platform (NUP) were “not entitled” to benefit from government funding provided to the federation.
Taking to social media, Byanyima criticized what she called the politicization of public resources, questioning why taxpayer money meant to support the arts would be distributed based on political allegiance.
“Government money belongs to all Ugandans not to any party or group. Why are musicians being excluded because of their political beliefs?” she wrote on her X platform (formerly twitter).
Her comments have reignited debate on transparency, fairness, and accountability in the management of public funds for the creative sector.
The Uganda National Musicians Federation, established to unite artists and advocate for their welfare, has reportedly received billions of shillings in government support since its formation. However, critics argue that the funding is being used to reward loyalty to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) rather than to promote inclusive artistic growth.
Several NUP-affiliated artists and opposition supporters have echoed Byanyima’s concerns, calling for an independent audit of how the funds are distributed.
In response, Eddy Kenzo defended his earlier statements, maintaining that the federation works in partnership with the government and must therefore follow its funding guidelines.
“If another party comes to power and supports our proposals, we’ll work with them too. The current government supported us, and we should acknowledge that reasonably. When a new government takes office, we’ll cooperate with them as well.The UNMF represents musicians across Uganda, and right now, the government mandated to empower citizens is the NRM. Our proposal was submitted to them because this support is for Ugandans”., Kenzo explained.
As the controversy continues, many stakeholders in Uganda’s entertainment industry are urging authorities to ensure that artistic funding remains inclusive, transparent, and nonpartisan, in line with the principles of equality and freedom of expression.
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