“Poverty Is Driving Musicians Into Politics” Says Eddy Kenzo

An increasing number of musicians are making the jump from the stage to the political arena, no longer satisfied with just voicing their opinions on governance, but actively contesting for leadership positions.

Eddy Kenzo, the President of the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF), recently shared his thoughts on this growing trend during an interview with Sanyuka TV.

According to him, the surge in musicians entering politics is largely due to the lack of a well-structured and supportive framework for the music industry.

He believes that if the government had collaborated more closely with musicians earlier, many would not feel the need to seek political office.

A strong partnership between the two sectors, he argues, would have provided artistes with financial stability and industry growth, reducing their interest in politics.

Kenzo highlighted financial struggles as a major driving force behind this shift.

He explained that for many artistes, music alone is no longer a reliable source of income, pushing them to explore other ventures for survival, including politics.

However, he pointed out that politics is not the only fallback, as musicians are also branching out into other sectors to secure their livelihoods.

Despite these challenges, Kenzo remains hopeful about the future.

He assured that efforts are being made to strengthen the industry, particularly by addressing heavy taxation and licensing fees that cut the earnings of musicians.

By empowering artistes financially, he believes they will be less inclined to turn to politics as an alternative.