Singer Bebe Cool has hit back at the revelers who attacked him during the Swangz Avenue concert at Lugogo cricket oval on Friday, saying he will not be intimidated.
The Gagamel singer was scheduled to perform at the concert that also featured Jamaican reggae star, Tarrus Riley, but when he appeared on stage, he faced resistance from revelers who threw plastic bottles and chairs at him.
People could be heard repeatedly chanting ‘Bobi Wine’ and ‘People Power’, and telling Bebe Cool to get off the stage. After close to 30 minutes of stalemate, security finally dragged the defiant musician off the stage and the event proceeded.
Read More: Bobi Wine Fans Force Bebe Cool Off Stage at Swangz Concert, Revelers Speak Out
Now, while responding to the incident which has caused divided opinion on social media, Bebe Cool says that it was wrong for the violent fans to deny him his right as an entertainer to sing. He equally faulted the event organizers for turning off his microphone yet he was willing to proceed and sing.
“I will never be intimidated. My job is to sing and I will continue to sing. I blame the people who switched off my mic because I would have gone ahead and sung,” Bebe Cool told NTV Uganda in an interview on Saturday.
He says that nobody should demonize him for his political stance since he has a right to choose which person to support.
“People will say throwing bottles at me was because I support Museveni. And I will ask them – Is it not my right to support Museveni? You want to tell me whom to support?”
Many people have recently condemned the singer for failing to sympathise with fellow musician and opposition figure, Bobi Wine who was incarcerated and allegedly tortured, which could have resulted into Friday’s animosity.
But Bebe Cool is unapologetic for his support for President Museveni.
“I know that the NRM has its ills because I know the country is not run by one person, but I will die for a good cause. And my cause is President Museveni the individual,” Bebe Cool said.
He said that he took the incident at Lugogo as a message from his attackers but added that this message was addressed to the wrong person.
“They are sending a message, only that they are sending the right message to the wrong person. If they want to pass a political message, they have a day to pass that message – through the ballot box”.
While Bebe Cool says that he doesn’t condone torture, he is not convinced that Bobi Wine is in a dire health state as he wants the public to believe.
He blames the media for siding with Bobi Wine without interrogating further to establish the facts regarding what occured in Arua district and what physical condition he (Bobi Wine) is in.
Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine emerged on the music scene almost at the same time, about two decades ago, and together with Jose Chameleone, they are credited for introducing a new sound (Afro Pop) in Uganda’s music.
But their sharply opposing political views coupled with music rivarly has increasingly pushed them apart. On his part, Bebe Cool has persistently exhibited his support for President Museveni and gone ahead to campaign for him during elections.
Bobi Wine who is emerging as a formidable opposition figure in Uganda’s politics, backed especially by young people, is a renown critic of Museveni and has over the years used his music to express that.
