By Fahard Kinene
JINJA– A section of Busoga musicians have vowed to boycott the Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) repeat poll slated for June, 28, 2022 citing marginalization.
They have since warned the UMA board against organizing what they called fake polls, arguing that UMA has the ability to organize elections in all regions since they are divided into clusters.
“UMA has the ability to organize polling stations across the country manned by volunteers,” said Deogracious Nsubuga aka Strago, the Busoga region UMA co-ordinator.
Nsubuga said the musicians under his docket will not participate in the elections.
” I and my musicians will not participate in the elections because we have polling stations in our region. We are not part of that crap,” Nsubuga said.
Godfrey Mutekanga aka Smart G also castigated UMA over what he referred to as double standards.
“UMA is turning into an association of Kampala musicians. I will not travel to Kampala just to go and cast a vote,” Smart G said.
UMA electoral commission chairperson Geoffrey Ekongo announced fresh elections after the June 6 poll was cancelled due to a technical glitch.
The association has since announced that the repeat poll will be conducted by secret ballot and will be held at the National Theater Gardens in Kampala for proper supervision.
“Following guidance from the UMA policy board, I have decided to organise the polls in the next one week so that the association doesnot continue to operate without leadership,” Ekongo said.
The UMA policy board vice chairperson, Ms Sophie Gombya, revealed that UMA has decided to have the poll centralized in Kampala due to the high cost of organising countrywide elections.
“It was a difficult decision to make considering the financial status of the members but it was the only option available,” Ms Gombya said.
Recent statistics indicate that Kampala comprises only 35 per cent of the total number of UMA voters, with the other regions sharing the remaining 65%.
Musicians Manisul Ssemanda aka King Saha and Cinderella Sanyu aka Cindi (incumbent) are fighting UMA supremacy. The winner will lead the association for the next two years.
