Music, a political enigma and tool overshadowing civic conscience

By John Robert Ekapu

As I penned this article, my mind ran miles to interrogate whether music and musicians have the power to influence any election anywhere in the world.

From Local council, sub-county, district, parliamentary and presidential campaigns in this country, music is trending as the political catalyst.  I think the biggest answer to many of my questions is that music complements politics. 

Complementarily, music and politics are viewed in political expressions through songs that the major political players have adopted to be in vogue.

Look! we have apparently had two big songs composed for the two candidates this political season, ‘Tu Bonge Na We'  and "Toka Kwa Bara-Bara Byesigye ana yingiya'' are both aimed at sloganeering and  campaigning for either the ruling party or the main opposition for positive change. 

To me, and may be, to any reader, the two songs are communicating specific political messages for either of the party NRM and FDC for change or continuity.

While it is true that political pundits can argue that such songs and sloganeering can fulfill political desires, musicians can attest to such a fact.

Attest because to some, it is a matter of a few dollars or shillings in their pockets while to others it is sweet melodies in their ears. 

Music is being used for campaigns as a tool for popularizing and raising awareness about the achievements of the ruling government while on the other side of the coin, music is a tool to portray government failures, inefficiencies and lip service offered to meet its obligation as promised previously.

Since music is internationally a symbol of peace, it can also be used to help our country realize its international commitments on the covenant on economic, social and cultural rights, civil and political rights among others.

Music is an energizer or magnet for attracting crowds during rallies, music is primarily for general entertainment to the public. To many audiences, it is about killing boredom, reminiscing and keeping calm as we have noticed different performances at different rallies.

We thank God for peacefully taking us through the first stage of the electoral process,  now seeing the second phase of the process with a new trend of politics and music interludes call it "the swag approach or the swagmania". 

To my understanding, music is the collection of an organized sound and a tool of communication. While this is appreciated both in and out of the music school, politicians view it as a tool to use in their dirty and good games.

With the initial electoral process basically looking at voter's registration, party primaries in which individual parties from both ruling and opposition elected their leaders to take part in the national elections to be held from the 18th of February 2016, music has remained the political catalyst.

The initial stage, associated with the usual campaign slogans and music interlude, the power of music has remained a common practice in the current campaigns as it was in previous presidential and mayoral campaigns in Uganda since independence.

While many political protagonists have argued that politics is not a dirty game, to the lay man, the story is different, the voter has remained confused and a tool for disenfranchisement.

Politics is a dirty game because it lacks rules to ensure parity of a fair play.  Unlike organised games like kick boxing, outline fighting, fencing, hide and seek gorilla war, shoot and scoot, rope walking, gymnastics, pole vaulting and many more.

Politics may not be like playing cards for it is not played in an air-conditioned and silent ambiance. It is a game played as goal posts shift unprecedentedly.

In conclusion, the big question remains whether majority Ugandans as seen in bigger crowds will truly reflect the kind of votes individual candidates that pull them will get come 18th of February 2016, or it will be simply a comic experience.

Well, we hope this will only not end at being entertained, gotten new friends and lived to lean a verse or two in the songs composed and played, the answer may remain unclear to live with, come February 18th, 2016.

Writer is a citizen of Uganda and interested in Current Affairs