Opinon: The MTV MAMAs Shouldn t Be Happening In Uganda By Dr Vincent Magombe
Over the years, many other Ugandan musicians have faced pressure not to criticize the regime, but instead to sing praise songs for Museveni.
by Dr Vincent Magombe
Feb 01, 2021
Last week, MTV officially announced that its 2021 Africa Music Awards, the MAMAs, would be held in Uganda on February 20. The event, which has been planned in coordination with Uganda’s tourism ministry, is being advertised alongside the hashtag #VisitUganda. If Uganda were free, it would be welcome news. But just as the MTV announcement was made, Uganda’s most popular politician, Hon Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, was under house arrest, having dared to challenge Uganda’s long-ruling dictator, Yoweri Museveni, in a recently concluded presidential election.
okayafrica Photo by BADRU KATUMBA/AFP via Getty Images.
A supporter of Ugandan musician turned politician Bobi Wine, waves Ugandan flag during his presidential rally in Fort Portal on November 23, 2020. Opinion: The MTV MAMAs Shouldn t Be Happening in Uganda How can MTV and Viacom executives, who claim to be supportive of Black Lives Matter, now look the other way when those lives are African?
Dr. Vincent Magombe is a Ugandan journalist, broadcaster and university lecturer.
Last week,
MTV officially announced that its
2021 Africa Music Awards, the MAMAs, would be held in Uganda on February 20. The event, which has been planned in coordination with Uganda s tourism ministry, is being advertised alongside the hashtag #VisitUganda. If Uganda were free, it would be welcome news. But just as the MTV announcement was made, Uganda s most popular politician, Hon Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as