West Nile musicians back Cindy for UMA presidency – Kampala Sun

By Edna Piyic                                                                    Musicians in West Nile have asked Cinderella Sanyu aka Cindy to go back to the grassroots and consult them in order to have an organised music industry. She was told this when she took her campaign trail to West Nile yesterday.   She was accompanied by  Hanson  Baliruno who wants to deputize Cindy and Phina Masanyalaze  standing for Secretary General. Other musicians contesting for the presidency are Mansoor Ssemanda also known as King Saha and Ramathan Mutebi also known as Lord Bitemu. Cindy asked for a second term in office. “I am seeking re-election but this time as the president of the association. Two years were not enough for me to make changes  in the industry”, she said. Cindy and her team were in West Nile canvassing for votes (Photo: Edna Piyic) She mentioned that there are many demands in the sector, therefore it needs people who understand the structures and have lobbying capacity. “I am capable of leading my fellow musicians, not that I am doubting the capability of other musicians but I know that I can”, she said. Among the issues she plans to tackle include the implementation of the copyright law, sexual harassment especially among female musicians and capacity building on music branding. “We dress to entertain as female musicians but not for the men to touch our private parts, that is not called for, not at all”, she mentioned. Cindy poses for a photo with one of the female musicians from West Nile (Photo: Edna Piyic) Hanson Baliruno who wants the Vice President position rallied the musicians to vote for him for lobbying purposes. “I have connections in East Africa and the Diaspora so vote for me. I will bring musicians from there that can collaborate here to improve on your music”, he said. Phina Masanyalaze, seeking to become the Secretary General, asked musicians to register with Uganda Performing Rights Society so that they can accrue their loyalties from entertainment spaces such as media houses, bars, discotheques among others. “Most of you musicians are not getting paid by entertainment places yet when you register with the society, you get paid,” she said. However, the West Nile musicians clustered under UMA asked for the promotion and collaboration of their music and artists. Jm Kennedy, the chairperson of the cluster,  said there is need for UMA to get back to the grassroots if the association is to make meaningful development.