TAKEAWAYS
- Eddy Kenzo denies orchestrating demands for payment from Bebe Cool.
- Creatives claim they remain unpaid for campaign-related work.
- Kampala Trendy
- Kenzo says disputes between individual artists should be handled outside the federation.
Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF) President Eddy Kenzo has criticised fellow musician Bebe Cool amid a growing dispute involving bloggers, TikTokers and other creatives who claim they have not been paid for work done during the recently concluded presidential campaigns.
Several creatives who worked with Bebe Cool during the campaign period have publicly demanded payment, with some reportedly taking their complaints to social media and even gathering outside his Kiwatule residence.
The controversy has also drawn Kenzo into the dispute, with some people accusing him of using the creatives to attack Bebe Cool. Kenzo has denied the allegations, saying his name is being dragged into the matter because of his influence.
Kenzo said he and Bebe Cool had agreed on how they would work before the campaigns, but claimed he was surprised when Bebe Cool allegedly instructed media personnel not to cover him.
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“When we reached there, I was shocked and annoyed when Bebe Cool told the media not to cover me. That is when I decided to get my own media,” Kenzo said.
The Sitya Loss singer also said he personally paid the people who worked with his team, explaining that he received funds from the NRM Secretariat.
Kenzo further argued that disputes over individual payments should not necessarily be handled by the federation, advising affected creatives to pursue appropriate legal channels.
“Some issues are not for the federation to handle. If you have an issue with another artist, go to the police,” he said.
On Bebe Cool’s absence from the federation’s leadership structure, Kenzo claimed that Bebe Cool had initially been appointed to a finance role but could not accept working under him as president.
Bebe Cool was indeed listed as chair of the UNMF Finance Committee when the federation’s leadership was announced in 2023.
Kenzo said he sympathises with creatives seeking payment, adding that he cannot guarantee whether they will eventually receive the money they are demanding.
