Maurice Hasa, Ray signature and Milege band wow diplomats

By Caroline Ariba

He is the voice of the children, but to the diplomats he was the day's performer.

Maurice Hasa, aka Kaleke Kasome left diplomats and activist nodding to his songs at a function to welcome the Netherlands founded NGO Rutgers.


Representatives from Rutgers, Netherlands Embassy and Reach hand Uganda cut cake during a successful inaugural ceremony of the Rutgers offices

Hassa, did not start with the song from which he gets his aka, but rather one where he sings of finding true love.

"This is true love, true love…true laaaav" the usually calm Muarice cried out in song.

The melody in this song was quite captivating and the audience may not have been the kind that goes crazy, but they were with him all the way.

Netherland's ambassador to Uganda, Alphons Hennekens and Lambert Grijns, the Netherland's ambassador for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) & HIV/AIDS both started bobbing their heads to the tune.

Had Maurice gone any further, who knows just how much harder the diplomats and activists might have taken the head bobbing.


The Netherlands Ambassador to Ugand,a Alphons Hennekens (L), Netherlands Ambassador for SRHR & HIV/AIDS, Lambert Grijns() shakes hands with Rutgers country director, Anselm Wandega after a successful Inaugural ceremony of the Rutgers offices

When he next returned, it was to introduce another known singer, Ray Signature aka Kasenyanku, and another Rwandese singer, who had joined him in the remix of his hit song; Kaleke Kasome.

When Maurice was not on stage, the band Milege took to a rather interesting African fusion, that not only included song but poetry too.

"YOLO" was the title of one of the band's poems, a face-book acronym for You Only Leave Once.

Once the poets were done the cake was cut and Rutgers, the Netherlands reproductive health giant, was officially welcomed to East African at their offices in Lubowa.