One of the things that has bothered me over the years, is the lack of commitment of our music - and really, our artistic endeavors - to the real issues of our people in the country and across the continent. Our musicians have become masters of party songs and seem incapable of interrogating the challenges of our times.
There is slavery in Libya, corruption everywhere, militarization of the police in Kenya and Uganda (with its attendant human rights abuses), appalling levels of poverty, failed public health and education, and many other evils bedeviling our people. And yet, and this is no surprise really, our musicians and artists would rather sing about having casual sex, drinking like life depends on it, and other things that really don't make sense.
In Penpoints, Gunpoints and Dreams, Ngugi wa Thiong'o tells us that "Writers have no real choices other than to align themselves with the people and articulate their deepest yearnings and struggles for change, real change... Where people are marginalized into ghettos and slums, the artist is also marginalized." Our musicians are completely out of touch with the problems we face. They are afraid of interrogating the status quo as this may lead to cancelled shows and invites by the who is who. They'll rather just sing anything else - as long as it does not upset the powers that be.
But there is hope.
Not so long ago, the Honorable Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu also known as Bobi Wine released the song "Freedom." In the song, he decries the sustained adulteration of their constitution, erosion of human rights and dignity, the failure of mentors and liberators to live to their expectations and the general situation of where "the gun is the master." He calls out to the Ugandan people, from Soroti to Jinja, from Karamoja to Kampala, Kabale to Kasese, Gulu to Masaka, to fight for freedom.
In Tanzania, musicians Ibrahim Musa aka Roma Mkatoliki, Nay wa Mitego (Emmanuel Elibariki) among others have had run ins with the authorities. It appears that the Government of Tanzania, and indeed that of all African States, is intolerant of dissent. The warnings, arrests and torture of these musicians has not stopped them from pointing the injustices, excesses and abuse of power in their society.
From the days of slavery, with their Negro Spirituals, Racist America with Hiphop and rap, Zimbabwe, Apartheid South Africa, Kenya's struggle of independence, music has had a critical role in the liberation struggle. It was used to educate, inform, entertain and keep the fire of the struggle burning.
There is slavery in Libya, corruption everywhere, militarization of the police in Kenya and Uganda (with its attendant human rights abuses), appalling levels of poverty, failed public health and education, and many other evils bedeviling our people. And yet, and this is no surprise really, our musicians and artists would rather sing about having casual sex, drinking like life depends on it, and other things that really don't make sense.
In Penpoints, Gunpoints and Dreams, Ngugi wa Thiong'o tells us that "Writers have no real choices other than to align themselves with the people and articulate their deepest yearnings and struggles for change, real change... Where people are marginalized into ghettos and slums, the artist is also marginalized." Our musicians are completely out of touch with the problems we face. They are afraid of interrogating the status quo as this may lead to cancelled shows and invites by the who is who. They'll rather just sing anything else - as long as it does not upset the powers that be.
But there is hope.
Not so long ago, the Honorable Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu also known as Bobi Wine released the song "Freedom." In the song, he decries the sustained adulteration of their constitution, erosion of human rights and dignity, the failure of mentors and liberators to live to their expectations and the general situation of where "the gun is the master." He calls out to the Ugandan people, from Soroti to Jinja, from Karamoja to Kampala, Kabale to Kasese, Gulu to Masaka, to fight for freedom.
In Tanzania, musicians Ibrahim Musa aka Roma Mkatoliki, Nay wa Mitego (Emmanuel Elibariki) among others have had run ins with the authorities. It appears that the Government of Tanzania, and indeed that of all African States, is intolerant of dissent. The warnings, arrests and torture of these musicians has not stopped them from pointing the injustices, excesses and abuse of power in their society.
From the days of slavery, with their Negro Spirituals, Racist America with Hiphop and rap, Zimbabwe, Apartheid South Africa, Kenya's struggle of independence, music has had a critical role in the liberation struggle. It was used to educate, inform, entertain and keep the fire of the struggle burning.
While I do not advocate for the "censuring" of artists, I hope that we shall have some who will question the status quo and awaken our people from the deep slumber of complacency. We have so many problems and I believe that music -and art in general - can help us face them.
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