‘Samona’ vs walukagga: The war behind the music lyrics
ON Monday this week, Kadongo Kamu singer, Mathias walukagga was sent to Luzira prison over cases filed against him by businessman, Ssalongo Kasawuli, popularly known as ‘Samona’ the proprietor of the company that makes Samona products.
By Joseph Ssemutooke
ON Monday this week, Kadongo Kamu singer, Mathias walukagga was sent to Luzira prison over cases filed against him by businessman, Ssalongo Kasawuli, popularly known as ‘Samona’ the proprietor of the company that makes Samona products.
Samona accused Walukagga of composing songs tarnishing his image and that of his business products, as well as attempting to extort money from him in order not to release the contested songs.
That was the beginning of a stormy climax to a long-running feud that has rocked the local music industry this year.
The Katulepuke song
In March this year, when Walukagga released Katulepuke, it was an instant hit, especially with downtown listeners. The song lyrics lashed at an unnamed powerful and wealthy person that Walukagga said was showing animosity towards him and threatening his life over a woman.
The only clues the singer gave about the unnamed was his reference to him as a hawker of cosmetics (bizigo) and a wealthy man who was now dating the singer’s former lover.
As soon as Katulepuke was released, Samona came out saying Walukagga was denigrating him and his beauty products’ business.
Samona vowed to take Walukagga to court over the song. However, he did not file any case then. It was alleged he had chosen to tactfully hit back at Walukagga.
Over time, Katulepuke was denied radio play on stations where Samona is a major advertiser, and Walukagga was barred from performing at Samona-sponsored events like CBS’ Ekitoobero.
At the same time two Kadongo Kamu artistes released two songs that seemed to directly counter Walukagga’s Katulepuke, and it is alleged Samona had hired the singers to hit back on his behalf. However, the two songs did not get massive airplay.
Just as the feud between Walukagga and Samona was beginning to subside, the singer last month released Bwino W’omutembeyi (facts about hawkers), renewing the hostility.
The song again attacks an unnamed nemesis of the singer. Once again Samona cried foul, this time revealing that the singer had tried to extort money from him in order not to release the song.
He reported the case to several Government officials and also sued the singer for defamation and attempted extortion.
The conflict
The cold war between the musician and the businessman is said to have started over a woman, Aisha Nabukeera who apparently had once been Walukagga’s lover but now is Samona’s (others say she is the wife).
Walukagga disclosed to close associates that, his nemesis had been uneasy with the fact that every time he and Nabukeera met, she still talked with the singer.
Samona suspected something was still going on between them and he began calling the singer, first to propose buying him off the woman and then death threats if he did not disassociate himself from her.
Walukagga says he reported the case to the Police and as a measure of self-protection brought the case to public light via a song, so that if anything happened to him, everyone would know who would have done it.
Samona, however says Walukagga is the bitter jilted lover unwilling to accept that another man won over his former woman. He says the singer is also being used by Samona’s competitors to undermine his products’ image.
Court’s injunction
Last week court put an indefinite ban on playing or performance of the two contested songs or selling distributions, until December 18, when the case will be heard.
At Walukagga’s last concert at Comprehensive Hotel in Nateete, he did not play the songs and apologised to fans that he could not because of the court order.
On the other hand, the distributors who had bought the rights for the two songs, X-Zone and Abitex, have also vowed to sue Samona for compensation for the loss the injunctions are going to cause them during the ban.
It is the first time a Ugandan musician is being dragged to court over the content of his music. Like all artistes all over the world, Ugandan musicians punch underlying meanings to their music.
Recently, the Goodlyfe crew are said to have released a song that was against someone’s business.
Walukagga, who was on Wednesday released on bail, is considered the biggest artiste in the Kadongo Kamu genre today.
ON Monday this week, Kadongo Kamu singer, Mathias walukagga was sent to Luzira prison over cases filed against him by businessman, Ssalongo Kasawuli, popularly known as ‘Samona’ the proprietor of the company that makes Samona products.
Samona accused Walukagga of composing songs tarnishing his image and that of his business products, as well as attempting to extort money from him in order not to release the contested songs.
That was the beginning of a stormy climax to a long-running feud that has rocked the local music industry this year.
The Katulepuke song
In March this year, when Walukagga released Katulepuke, it was an instant hit, especially with downtown listeners. The song lyrics lashed at an unnamed powerful and wealthy person that Walukagga said was showing animosity towards him and threatening his life over a woman.
The only clues the singer gave about the unnamed was his reference to him as a hawker of cosmetics (bizigo) and a wealthy man who was now dating the singer’s former lover.
As soon as Katulepuke was released, Samona came out saying Walukagga was denigrating him and his beauty products’ business.
Samona vowed to take Walukagga to court over the song. However, he did not file any case then. It was alleged he had chosen to tactfully hit back at Walukagga.
Over time, Katulepuke was denied radio play on stations where Samona is a major advertiser, and Walukagga was barred from performing at Samona-sponsored events like CBS’ Ekitoobero.
At the same time two Kadongo Kamu artistes released two songs that seemed to directly counter Walukagga’s Katulepuke, and it is alleged Samona had hired the singers to hit back on his behalf. However, the two songs did not get massive airplay.
Just as the feud between Walukagga and Samona was beginning to subside, the singer last month released Bwino W’omutembeyi (facts about hawkers), renewing the hostility.
The song again attacks an unnamed nemesis of the singer. Once again Samona cried foul, this time revealing that the singer had tried to extort money from him in order not to release the song.
He reported the case to several Government officials and also sued the singer for defamation and attempted extortion.
The conflict
The cold war between the musician and the businessman is said to have started over a woman, Aisha Nabukeera who apparently had once been Walukagga’s lover but now is Samona’s (others say she is the wife).
Walukagga disclosed to close associates that, his nemesis had been uneasy with the fact that every time he and Nabukeera met, she still talked with the singer.
Samona suspected something was still going on between them and he began calling the singer, first to propose buying him off the woman and then death threats if he did not disassociate himself from her.
Walukagga says he reported the case to the Police and as a measure of self-protection brought the case to public light via a song, so that if anything happened to him, everyone would know who would have done it.
Samona, however says Walukagga is the bitter jilted lover unwilling to accept that another man won over his former woman. He says the singer is also being used by Samona’s competitors to undermine his products’ image.
Court’s injunction
Last week court put an indefinite ban on playing or performance of the two contested songs or selling distributions, until December 18, when the case will be heard.
At Walukagga’s last concert at Comprehensive Hotel in Nateete, he did not play the songs and apologised to fans that he could not because of the court order.
On the other hand, the distributors who had bought the rights for the two songs, X-Zone and Abitex, have also vowed to sue Samona for compensation for the loss the injunctions are going to cause them during the ban.
It is the first time a Ugandan musician is being dragged to court over the content of his music. Like all artistes all over the world, Ugandan musicians punch underlying meanings to their music.
Recently, the Goodlyfe crew are said to have released a song that was against someone’s business.
Walukagga, who was on Wednesday released on bail, is considered the biggest artiste in the Kadongo Kamu genre today.