But police insist that local music stars are not above the law

For a select few musicians, the evening of Friday Jan. 29 promised to be one of the biggest nights of their careers. Over the last few months, posters and advertisements for American R&B superstar R. Kelly’s “I Believe Concert” were unavoidable in Kampala. The concert’s sponsor, Zain Uganda even allowed fans to vote over which Ugandan star would get the coveted opening slots. Those chosen: Jose Chameleone, Bebe Cool, GNL, Peter Miles and the Goodlyfe duo, Mowzey Radio and Weasel, got the chance to perform for over 30,000 fans. But what should have been a victory for the Ugandan music industry ended in violence, recrimination and a flurry of bullets.

“Who is VIP?”

Bebe Cool, one of those injured in the shooting, argues that it all boils down to an issue of the power of celebrity, a power which is still yet to be properly respected in Uganda. We spoke to Bebe Cool in Nsambya hospital room where he was admitted. Flanked by friends, family and flower bouquets sent by well-wishers, he seemed comfortable in his bed, shifting only occasionally to relieve the stress on his bandaged wounds; five in total, three one on one leg and two on the other.

He says he believes he and a few others have reached a new level of hitherto unknown fame, and recognition of that fact is due. In Uganda, “they want to treat the Minister of Water like the VIP,” Cool notes with a chuckle, “If a Minister of Water is being paid 4 million shillings a month, and I’m being paid 6 million shillings for 15 minutes, then who is the VIP?”

“I think the government has to come in and probably rescue the situation by giving us ample security, understanding and believing we are no longer small. We are VIP and we need VIP treatment.”

On the other side of town in his Bukoto studio, reggae musician Bobi Wine nods in agreement: “We are assets to this industry, to this country. What Bebe is talking about is important, we should be protected. Before they think about taxing us, they should think about protecting.”

There is an undeniable conceit in the assertions that musicians like Wine and Cool make regarding their perceived cachet; but the fact that a local superstar can perform at R. Kelly’s mega-concert and then proceed to get shot by an SPC officer a few hours later underscores the real need for change. 

“The stupidity of the SPC”

According to Cool, he took his entourage to Centenary Park bar Effendy’s that night where they ran into some members of the rival Goodlyfe group. Words were exchanged, possibly even a few light blows, but management intervened, providing Cool with security and they left without incident.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring parking lot near the Nakumatt Supermarket, SPC police officer Alfred Acihikan was attempting to carry out an arrest for an unrelated incident. At this moment, Cool’s group walked by en route to Nakumatt. It is here that stories diverge. Cool believes the officer perceived him and his crew as arriving in order to prevent the arrest from being carried out. According to Cool, it all happened so quickly, “he  [Officer Acihikan] didn’t even take any second to find out whether I was with some cops or something. He just gave himself distance and started shooting.”

Djasp Wanyoto Herbert, Divisional CID Officer for the Uganda Police and investigating officer of the case, readily concedes that the fourteen bullets fired represent a clear-cut case of excessive force. However, he argues that there simply must have been some sort of provocation from Cool and his gang. “When they [Cool and his group] got there, I think they got attracted to whatever was happening, so I think from there that misunderstanding grew and shots were fired.”

Herbet claims that regardless of what Cool or anyone his clique might have done to provoke Officer Alfred Acihikan, he would have expected his officers who are trained professionals to restrain themselves. Acihikan, a soft-spoken 30 year old man who could stand to face charges of attempted murder once the investigation is completed, had spent two years as a Special Police Constable (SPC). He does not look like a cold-blooded killer but rather a diminutive man who was most likely struck by fear and nerves.

Cool notes, “the kids that shot me were so young. SPC, they are so young without any experience, the amount of bullets that were shot was just excitement.” Bobi Wine concurs, dismissing any conspiracy of inter-gang violence out of hand: “Police did not shoot because of gangs you understand? It was the unprofessionalism of that SPC, I don’t mean to be rude, but I would say it was the stupidity of the SPC.”

For Herbert, the real issue is the growing sense of impunity felt by these well-known musicians. “These people also don’t respect police,” he exclaims with a hint of exasperation, “Someone is armed, they go ahead to the extent of even slapping and assaulting a police officer, so this type of behavior must also be condemned.” Furthermore, police officers often face serious challenges when pursuing cases against celebrities who feel they are above the law. Herbert finds that even when arrested or issued a summons, they simply refuse to show up in court. They think “I’m a power, I’m a celebrity,” Herbert notes before adding, “Whoever’s caught on the wrong side of the law shall be charged.”

“Our Movie Star Lives”

For such a small country, Uganda has a large and vibrant music community. However, with increasing popularity and money, bitter rivalries and clashes over supremacy have sprouted. There has been a long simmering conflict between Bebe Cool and his Gagamel clique and young upstarts Weasel and Mowzey Radio of the Goodlyfe crew. In a July 2009 interview, Weasel said, “Many a time, already established artists tend to look for ways of sabotaging new artistes whom they see as a threat” before adding rather ominously, “People like Bebe Cool need to realize this before it is too late. What was small yesterday will be big tomorrow.” According to Cool, the Goodlyfe members “are very young boys. It’s discipline. According to me, I’m just going to look for them and when I find them I’m going to discipline them until when they bow down.”

The back and forth insults between Cool and Weasel and Radio likely had nothing to do with Friday’s shooting; threats and taunts are commonplace among the Ugandan musician fraternity but bloodshed has been unheard of.

Despite verbal disagreements and a minor fracas here and there, musicians in Uganda appear to maintain a strong sense of respect for one another and dignity in their profession. For Bobi Wine, who admits he’s had issues with Jose Chameleon and Bebe Cool in the past, there is not really much enmity in the industry these days. In fact, he notes, he was one of the first people to show up at Cool’s hospital bed and he has no doubt Cool would have done the same for him.

It was important, Wine believes, to be at Cool’s side to make a statement: the music industry in Uganda will not devolve into violence and American-style inter-gang warfare. Wine refers to adversarial artists as his “frenemies” and notes with pride the existence of the Uganda Federation of Musicians (of which he is Secretary General) which brings musicians together for dialogue and discussion. He compares the bickering between artists to that of John McCain and Barack Obama during the 2008 U.S. elections: “They’re both American, issues of defending the country, in this case defending the industry we come together, you understand? And make sensible decisions. Then after that we go back to our movie star lives.”

For Bebe Cool, whose high profile status has indeed warranted personal visits from President Yoweri Museveni and Police chief Kale Kayihura, it is time that people understand what big-name artists are worth. “It’s basically a few of us who are at that level; you know that can afford to do anything.” But for Wanyoto Herbert, the cocksure attitude of musicians who flagrantly violate the law simply because of their perceived status remains deeply problematic to his officers’ ability to maintain law and order. 

Ultimately, the firing of fourteen bullets at four unarmed civilians by an officer of the law in central Kampala highlights the need for serious scrutiny over the police and their use of force. Perhaps, since this did finally happen to someone living the “movie star” life, it will put added pressure on SPC forces to ensure the highest degrees of professionalism and restraint for the rest of society. As Bobi Wine noted worryingly, “You hear every day SPC has shot five in a bar because he wanted a girl and she had a boyfriend or SPC had gotten drunk and fired into a crowd. SPC has done this or that. It happens every day to common people only that nobody knows of them.”

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