Musicians release peace song ahead of the 2021 polls

In such times of electioneering and tension, it is only right to preach peace and practice the same. 

To achieve this, a host of Ugandan musicians, under Uganda Musician Association, launched a song dubbed Londa Dembe, loosely translated as choose peace, on Thursday, December 10, at a press conference held at Kati Kati in Kampala.

This follows the launch of a peace campaign dubbed I Choose Peace by Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) and Inter Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD), last week. 

The campaign was backed with representation from various political parties like Forum for Democratic Change, National Resistance Movement, Justice Forum and Uganda Peoples' Congress.

At the launch of the campaign's official song, musicians led by their President Wycliffe Tugume, also known as Ykee Benda, were present in rather small numbers, but this did not stop the song from being launched.

In his words, Ykee Benda, expressed his widely known love of peace, "I'm an artist for peace and love, and this is known even through my music. At the end of all this, we shall remain Ugandans, so I urge all Ugandans to act as one, despite our differences in political affiliations. I, therefore, urge all musicians to use their various platforms to preach peace and love among Ugandans."

Musicians, considering their sundry numbers in public, are one of the easiest lots to publicise a message with. 

This was avowed by Phina Mugerwa Masanyalaze, the Secretary of Uganda Musicians Association, saying, "We reach so many numbers of people in Uganda, and these people believe in what we tell them. Therefore, this partnership, through the released song, will help pass on the peace message quite fast."

These words were reiterated by Frank Rusa, the Country Representative of Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), saying that, "there is no doubt that musicians are a very influential lot in society. Most importantly, we are so delighted that you decided to throw your weight on to this campaign and would like to laud you for that."

Rusa pointed out that looking at the recent record of election periods in Uganda, the situation has since become one of life and death. 

He says this should not be the case, especially considering Uganda's ugly history of political unrest.

Photo caption: (L - R) Kateregga Mohammed, the IPOD Council Chairman, Frank Rusa, Phina Mugerwa and Ykee Benda at the launch of the song