Ugandan media personality Kasuku, real name Isaac Daniel Katende, has called out tribalism among music fans, questioning why an artist’s tribe becomes a talking point whenever they perform successfully outside their home region.
In a video posted online, Kasuku said he was tired of fans turning music into a tribal contest, particularly when artists cross regional boundaries and attract new audiences.
I am sick and tired of tribalism among fans.
Kasuku used Western Uganda-based singer Ray G as an example.
While acknowledging that Ray G is a Munyakole, he argued that his background should not prevent him from performing and building a fan base in Kampala.
Yes, Ray G is a Munyakole, as you say, and there is nothing wrong with him putting shows in Kampala.
He then turned the argument around, reminding critics that musicians from Central Uganda have also travelled to Western Uganda, performed there and attracted large crowds without facing the same tribal scrutiny.
You have time and again also travelled to the west and performed in different places of the west, and no one has said anything about it, or about you.
Kasuku pointed to venues such as Agip Hotel and Mbarara Inn, where artists from outside the region have performed for Western Uganda audiences.
You have gone to the west and filled Agip Hotel, Mbarara Inn, among many other places.
He questioned why fans would accept a Muganda performing in Western Uganda but raise concerns when a Munyakole comes to Kampala to entertain audiences.
Why isn’t there any tension regarding the fact that a Muganda is here in the west?
For Kasuku, music should bring Ugandans together rather than deepen regional divisions.
He urged fans to stop viewing artists through a tribal lens and instead focus on supporting the country’s music industry.
Instead of being tribalistic or negative, stop focusing your energy in the wrong places and support Ugandan music. When Cindy added some Lunyankole in her song, didn’t you enjoy the hitsong?
Kasuku’s message was simple: if Ugandan artists can travel across the country, win over new audiences and fill venues regardless of where they come from, their tribes should not become the story.
He believes Uganda’s entertainment industry should build bridges between regions, giving musicians the freedom to perform and grow their audiences wherever their music takes them.