TAKEAWAYS

• Dancehall star Ziza Bafana slammed fans for choosing foreign acts like Wizkid over local legends during a spicy TikTok rant.
• Bafana claimed Diamond Platnumz’s hype was all branding rather than real skill after the star failed to fill Lugogo Cricket Oval.
• The singer urged Ugandans to stop mining outside their own gold mine since domestic artists can match Africa’s biggest names.

Ugandan dancehall singer Ziza Bafana has expressed frustration with Ugandans and local music promoters for what he considers excessive praise and support for foreign musicians at the expense of homegrown talent.

The Pomini hitmaker made the remarks in a video shared on his TikTok page, referencing Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz’s recent performance at Lugogo Cricket Oval.

According to Bafana, Diamond failed to fill the venue, yet much of the attention surrounding his visit focused on videos of him dancing on stage and showcasing his private jet rather than his musical performance.

The singer argued that what many people celebrate as musical excellence is often simply effective branding. “This is not singing; this is branding,” Bafana argued, insisting that when it comes to actual singing, several Ugandan legendary musicians are just as good, if not better.

To drive his point home, he compared the Jamaican and American music industries, arguing that Jamaican musicians are often more talented vocally, but Americans have mastered branding and promotion, giving them a commercial advantage.

Bafana further criticised Ugandans for overlooking their own talent while celebrating international stars such as Wizkid and Burna Boy.

“Ugandans would rather go and mine outside their own gold mine,” he remarked, adding that the country has numerous talented musicians capable of matching some of Africa’s biggest names.

He also expressed dissatisfaction with the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF), led by Eddy Kenzo, accusing the organisation of failing to distribute government funds intended to support musicians in improving their music videos and branding.

His comments add to the growing debate about foreign performers commanding significant sums from Ugandan concert promoters while local musicians continue to demand better investment and support.