By Alex Don

KAMPALA — Ugandan opposition leader and musician Bobi Wine has issued a passionate call to Uganda’s contemporary artists, urging them to revive the purposeful and impactful spirit of the country’s musical legends.

Speaking at a memorial event held Saturday at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Makindye to honor the late Prince Job Paul Kafeero, Bobi Wine reflected on his relationship with the fallen kadongo kamu icon and other music pioneers. Kafeero passed away 18 years ago but remains one of Uganda’s most revered artists.

I have been lucky all my life, and I was blessed to be close to the late Kafeero. He taught me a lot,” Bobi Wine told the audience. “They became my advisors.

Bobi Wine credited Kafeero and fellow legend Gerald Kiweewa for guiding him during his formative years—not only in music but in life. “It is because of their wisdom that I was able to settle down in marriage and build a home outside the city, as Kafeero had advised.”

In a speech that blended tribute with critique, Bobi Wine questioned the current direction of Uganda’s music industry.

“If Paul Kafeero came back from the dead and listened to what we are singing now, would he be proud of us?” he asked.

He went on to invoke the names of other departed icons like Herman Basudde and Christopher Ssebadduka, commending their role in shaping national consciousness during challenging times—especially during the HIV/AIDS crisis.

I think that a lot of people in our generation would have perished because of HIV/AIDS if it were not for the wisdom and message disseminated by those legends through their music, he said. “It was what kept us alive.

Bobi Wine challenged today’s artists to use their platforms for more than entertainment, encouraging them to inspire, educate, and empower their communities—just as Kafeero once did.

Those legends opened our eyes, and the best way to show appreciation is to follow the direction they showed us,” he emphasized. “Music is a powerful tool. The question we should ask ourselves is: are we using it to save lives and build our country, or are we wasting that power?

The memorial event drew dozens of artists from Uganda’s music, film, and theatre industries. Attendees paid homage to Kafeero’s legacy and echoed Bobi Wine’s sentiments about the need for purpose-driven art.

As the music industry continues to evolve in the digital era, Bobi Wine’s message served as both a nostalgic reflection and a stirring wake-up call to Ugandan creatives.

We stand on the shoulders of giants,” he concluded. “Let’s not disappoint them.

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