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Shift Media News 
By ROBERT KAMUKAMA
KAMPALA, Uganda[SHIFTMEDIA] Just a few hours after the announcement of musician Eddy Kenzo as presidential advisor on creatives, scores of mixed reactions continue to trickle in.
Kenzo, whose real name is Edirisa Musuuza was appointed by President Yoweri Museveni as Senior Presidential advisor on Creatives. Musuuza is also husband to State Minister for Energy in charge of Minerals, Phiona Nyamutoro.
Though Nyamutoro was among those to congratulate Kenzo, scores of others including Kira Municipality MP, Hon Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda didn’t welcome the appointment.
Ssemujju Nganda criticised President Museveni for what he termed as diminishing the significance of the presidential advisory role by appointing individuals like singer Edirisa Musuuza.
Kenzo, who is also the president of the Uganda National Musicians Federation, joins a growing list of musicians who have been appointed by the President as envoys and advisers in various capacities.
This list includes Mark Bugembe, alias Buchaman, who was appointed as the President’s special envoy to the ghetto, Catherine Kusasira as the Presidential Advisor on Kampala, and Jennifer Nakanguubi, commonly known as Full Figure.
Ssemujju questioned how a musician like Kenzo, without any formal qualifications, could be considered for a presidential advisory role.
Drawing contrast with the first people who advised Museveni decades ago, Nganda wondered how the musician could be considered to be in their league.
“If you look at the quality of the first people to be appointed presidential advisors, the likes of Prof George Kanyeihamba, Gen David Sejusa and Ephraim Kamuntu…it demeans that office when you begin appointing people including those with no knowledge and experience and elevate them to be your advisors,” said Ssemujju.
“I like Kenzo as a singer and he has value, but I don’t think his value lies in advising the President.”
Kenzo Speaks Out
Eddy Kenzo welcomed his new appointment heaping on praises on the fountain of honor for eyeing him.
“I thank the president for using wisdom to govern this country because when you look at how people see us, the people from the Ghetto, they do not see much value in us,” Kenzo told Pulse UG.
According to pulse.ug Kenzo acknowledged the societal biases against individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and the surprise many express when they see someone from such origins rise to prominence.
However, Kenzo believes that President Museveni’s ability to identify and harness diverse talents for national development is commendable.
“The president is able to identify the different talents that can help him run the nation,” he added.
Kenzo told reporters at a press conference that his journey to this appointment has been marked by significant personal sacrifices, which he believes have now come to fruition.
“In my journey, I avoided a lot of things, and finally, my sacrifices are paying off,” he noted.
“People always wonder how a musician can marry a minister but they forget what I sacrificed; I had to forego using drugs, drinking alcohol, insulting people and hyping myself,” he said.
“I walked slowly, learning, to the point where I could convince someone with a better background to see sense in me. People should look at my past but also the journey I took here,” he added.
Central to Kenzo’s vision for the creative industry is unity, a principle he has championed as the leader of UNMF.
“When we started UNMF, most of the groups and associations we had were based in Kampala, but I decided to include each and every one because we are all Ugandans,” Kenzo explained.
He believes that his efforts to bring together creatives from all parts of Uganda, rather than just the capital, were instrumental in earning the president’s confidence.
“I united our people, and I think the president was impressed by this,” he stated.
Kenzo also sees his new role as an opportunity to address long-standing issues within the creative sector, which he feels has been neglected for far too long.
“Finally, the creatives have a window where we can channel our grievances because we have been neglected for a long time,” he said.
He highlighted the lack of copyright laws, insufficient support, and the absence of the creative industry in the national budget as key areas that need urgent attention. In his new capacity, Kenzo aims to advocate for these issues and bring tangible improvements to the sector.
Despite the mixed reactions to his appointment, with some questioning his qualifications for such a high-profile role, Kenzo remains undeterred.
He called upon his fellow artists to rally behind him, offering their ideas and advice to ensure that the creative industry’s needs are effectively represented.
“I call upon my fellow artists to support me, bring their ideas, and advise me so that the thoughts I take benefit the industry,” he urged.
