Musician-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, has accused Ugandan leaders of deliberately blocking the passage of a copyright law that would protect artists and their work.
Speaking on the matter, Bobi Wine claimed that the government has no interest in passing the legislation, despite repeated calls from artists for stronger protections.
“They will not pass the copyright law because they have no interest in doing so,” he said. “Instead of enacting the law, they gave artists money. Those who push for it are handed billions, and now they are being promised even more just to keep them quiet.”
Bobi Wine argued that the reluctance to pass the law stems from fear that empowered artists would no longer be submissive.
“They don’t want the law to pass because it makes you as an artist rich. And if you are rich, you can no longer bow to them. They don’t want to govern the rich,” he added.
He further accused leaders of perpetuating “mental slavery” to ensure artists remain dependent.
“They have worked hard to keep you in mental slavery, because it is that very slavery that makes you hate the person trying to liberate you while praising your oppressor,” he said.
Turning to the state of the music industry, Bobi Wine warned that artists producing vulgar music risk being forgotten by future generations. Instead, he encouraged musicians to create art they would be proud of years from now.
