Cindy Sanyu
Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) president Cinderella Sanyu alias Cindy has clarified that the association she leads is not part of the newly created Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF).
UNMF led by Edirisa Musuuza alias Eddy Kenzo was created in May this year with the aim of uniting musicians and promoting their interests in Uganda by bringing together all associations in the industry under one umbrella. The federation has since its inception faced public scrutiny and criticism with many people questioning its purpose.
In an exclusive interview with Spark Tv’s Daily Soup, Cindy admitted that some of the association members might have joined UNMF but the association as a whole has not yet joined the federation.
“My members who went to work at the federation went as individuals, they believed it was a good opportunity because the idea of the federation has been there for quite some time. It does not mean that UMA is working under the federation,” Cindy said.
She explained that a federation is a forum where associations can meet to discuss certain issues adding that she was approached by the UNMF leaders who asked her to join the federation at a time when they were also in consultation with other associations since no group had joined them yet.
On the question of Cindy not feeling comfortable being led by some members of the federation, the King herself responded that she does not care who her boss is if at all the federation is running well.
“It does not matter provided that the interests of UMA are being catered for. Today you might be Cindy’s boss and tomorrow you will be some other person’s boss. It is not about who is my boss. If my association is led to a better place, I do not care who is leading,” she said.
Reacting to what National Unity Platform Principal Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine told artistes last week while addressing mourners at the late Kato Lubwama’s burial in Nkozi, Cindy said that whatever he mentioned was right.
“Artistes should stop looking at handouts. It is also true that musicians are rich. A musician is respected by the public. There is so much to lose if we start becoming beggars of the government. It should not be like that,” the UMA President stated.
“The truth is, if the government makes for us good policies, musicians would not need the handouts. He is right that we should not be beggars. If the government wants to give us money, let them do so but it should not be that the musicians went to ask for the money because it does not help. Our image is tarnished,” she added.
Since last week, the words of Bobi Wine were not received well, especially by some members of the Uganda National Musicians Federation including President Eddy Kenzo.
On that matter, the UMA President advised that the UNMF leaders should be given time to understand certain things. She said that what they are trying to do is something good for the music industry even though they do not understand it very well. She noted that she faced the same challenge when she had just become the President of UMA.
