Rema and Kenzo, what went wrong?

In Rema Namakula's 2018 hit song, the writing was on the wall.

Siri Muyembe, (I am not a mango) a Luganda song, a section of the lyrics goes: "I am not a mango you wait for to ripen, neither am I a paw-paw that you only harvest when ripe, I am tired of your behaviour. Do not cry for me when someone takes me…"

This was a song that thrilled her fans, but was she aiming a jibe at her then celebrity lover with such lyrics? Maybe not. However, many of her fans thought it was the case, considering there had been lots of speculation about the relationship being on the rocks.

But now, barely a year after the song hit the airwaves, it is confirmed all was not well. It was probably the first time on Saturday, that Hamza Ssebunya, a doctor at Mulago Hospital, was appearing in the media for any reason. Several pictures of him and Rema were surfacing by the hour.

It is not clear who was releasing the pictures, but the excitement among fans was palpable. The revelation attracted mixed reactions. On December 26, 2014, the couple welcomed a baby girl, Amal Musuuza.

It was a happy moment for the family. It was Rema's first child and Kenzo's second-born, after, Maya Musuuza, a daughter from his previous relationship. Fans congratulated them. But soon, speculations about the father of the child began. Both Rema and Kenzo downplayed the rumours.

 Rema and Kenzo

In the public's eye, it was the ideal adorable relationship, glued by fame and money. Edirisah Musuuza aka Kenzo shot to fame in 2010 for his hit song, Stamina, which he followed with various club bangers. His 2014 global hit, Sitya Loss made him a force to reckon with in the region and beyond.

The song won him one of the most prestigious global entertainment awards, BET (Black Entertainment Television) Award for "Viewer's Choice Best New International Artiste" in 2015. As Kenzo's career skyrocketed, Rema (Rehema Namakula) was also taking the local music scene by storm.

She released hit after hit, standing out as one of the best female singers of her generation. She is loved by her fans for her vocal prowess. Both were having impressive careers, but as is the case with many celebrity couples, their relationship was under immense scrutiny in the public eye.

In 2017, reports indicated that the Kamunguluze-hitmaker was not seeing his wife. Kenzo, it was alleged, had moved out of their posh home in Seguku, Wakiso district and sought refuge at his Makindye-based music studio house in Kampala. Kenzo's accelerating stardom, as close confidants alleged, had affected his love life with Rema.

As a cover-up for his woes, sources said, Kenzo claimed to be a busy person and always on the move performing abroad. Earlier this year, Rema encountered claims that she had chased friends from his home in Seguku. She refused to respond to the rumours.

Rema barely talks about their relationship. She has not been quoted anywhere in the media responding to the claims of her relationship woes. In fact, she has not said anything since the pictures of her and her new lover broke the Internet.

In the fans' view, some of Rema's songs hinted on something going on in their relationship. Soon after Rema released Siri Muyembe, Kenzo immediately released Don't Care, a song their fans believed was a response to Rema's aforementioned hit. In the song, Kenzo asks his lovebird not to care about words from the public regarding their relationship.

"No matter what they say, do not care. I will always be there for you," he sings. Kenzo had repeatedly stressed how many people in the public had done a lot to destroy his affair with Rema.

The two are no more
A day after pictures of Rema and her new catch were awash on social media, Kenzo took to his Facebook account to express his regret at how things have turned out in his relationship. In an interview with Bukedde TV, he was visibly distressed by the break-up.

Tears rolled down his face as he told Josephat Sseguya, a journalist, that: "Unlike what the public is seeing on social media and TV, Rema was also a complicated lover." Receiving the news while on a work tour in the US, the revelation seemingly did not shock Kenzo. He was earlier alarmed when Rema started ignoring his calls.

"She would call me to apologise for not picking up. Ironically, this happened repeatedly. I started getting worried," Kenzo said. He claims that Rema lost trust in him for reasons that he fails to understand to this day. He says Rema went ahead to construct a new house and a second one without notifying him about it.

Kenzo says he got to know through social media. "I confronted her and she confirmed the rumours. This really made me sad and from that moment, I developed second thoughts about her commitment to me," Kenzo discloses. His Facebook post, on Sunday, paints a picture of him being the victim. Kenzo says he trusted Rema.

He says all documents showing ownership of his property were in Rema's custody. To realise that Rema had concealed details about her life, Kenzo says that is a wound that he will live to nurse. Kenzo, reveals that he did not know about Rema's new catch, Ssebunya.

He says Rema's justification for leaving him has been his failure to organise an introduction ceremony and a wedding, functions which he claims were to happen only if Rema had been patient. He blames her friends who have always fuelled what has now come out in public as a nasty break up.

 Rema and Ssebunya

In the same exclusive interview in a hotel in New York, he is also quick to point guns at himself for not creating enough time for Rema. "The last nail in the coffin was when Rema sent me a text message on Friday saying, ‘I have now moved on to a more serious relationship'," Kenzo told Bukedde.

Is Kenzo playing the victim card? Who is the victim in this? For now, it is still a matter of debate. But Rema, like always, has deliberately refused to talk to the media about the subject.

It is said Rema first met Ssebunya in 2014, at an event where the singer had been hired to perform. From a mere photo opportunity with the singer, Ssebunya's interest in the singer grew by leaps and bounds. He looked for her phone number and embarked on his advances.

It was not a walk in the park for Ssebunya, sources say. Ssebunya had been married to a one Betty before. It is not clearly known when the two separated, but they had officially held an Islamic marriage, known as Nika in 2017.

Ssebunya is a friend to city businessmen, Godfrey Kirumira and Hamis Kiggundu. In an interview with Bukedde newspaper, Kirumira says Ssebunya is like a son to him, known through the latter's late father, businessman Ahmed Kibirige.

Currently, sources confirm that Rema is in preparations for their introduction ceremony. Meetings are being held with close friends. The invitation cards indicate the ceremony will be held at her parent's home in Nabbingo, Butaka in Wakiso district.

WHO IS SSEBUNYA?
It is said Rema first met Ssebunya in 2014, at an event where the singer had been hired to perform. From a mere photo opportunity with the singer, Ssebunya's interest in the singer grew by leaps and bounds. He looked for her phone number and embarked on his advances.

It was not a walk in the park for Ssebunya, sources say. Ssebunya had been married to a one Betty before. It is not clearly known when the two separated, but they had officially held an Islamic marriage, known as Nika in 2017.

Ssebunya is a friend to city businessmen, Godfrey Kirumira and Hamis Kiggundu. In an interview with Bukedde newspaper, Kirumira says Ssebunya is like a son to him, known through the latter's late father, businessman Ahmed Kibirige.

Currently, sources confirm that Rema is in preparations for their introduction ceremony. Meetings are being held with close friends. The invitation cards indicate the ceremony will be held at her parent's home in Nabbingo, Butaka in Wakiso district.

What next for the couple?
Grace Linda, a counsellor, does not believe that celebrity couples are different from other couples. She argues that whether celebrity or not, relationships should always be accorded the respect they require.

She says: "By respect, I mean ordinary or celebrity couples for that matter, should always draw a line between their public lives and what the two of them share: love. I can give you an example of how sugar in a glass could appear from afar. Depending on who is watching, what one sees as sugar may actually turn out to be salt.

Therefore, couples should not let the public figure out what exactly goes on in their lives." As Linda says, celebrities always let what the public thinks of them define their love life and for Kenzo and Rema, she thinks this could be part of the reasons behind the break-up.

Artiste Bebe Cool says marriage is an agreement between two people and a third party should not matter in a relationship. His advice to Rema and Kenzo is that they agree on the custody and safe upbringing of their child.

He has, however, been quoted saying the artistes might one day reunite. Matthias Walukagga, a musician, who was once romoured to be the father of Rema's only child said: "It is sad that the two had to break up after years of dating. Being in the limelight, the public had a lot of expectations for them."