Tension and simmering anger gripped Kyotera District over the weekend after police abruptly blocked musician Mansuul Ssemanda, popularly known as King Saha’s long-awaited homecoming concert, sparking community outrage and fuelling political debate in an already charged constituency.
The concert, scheduled for Saturday evening at Kasambya playground in Kyotera Town Council, had been the talk of the district for weeks.
Posters hung from shop verandas, boda boda riders hyped the event to passengers, and drinking joints echoed with King Saha’s music. For many residents, the show symbolised homegrown pride and a rare moment of celebration.
But hours before sound checks, the mood shifted dramatically. Police informed organisers that the event could not proceed, citing ‘lack of adequate manpower to secure the event’.
The announcement spread fast, turning excitement into disbelief, then anger.
Twaha Kasirye, the southern regional police spokesperson, said the decision was purely operational.
‘We assessed the magnitude of the event and concluded that we could not provide sufficient security,’ he said, declining to comment on alternative dates.
However, whispers from within the organising team quickly fuelled speculation that the cancellation was politically motivated.
Sources insist the issue was not manpower, but fear that the concert could shift political momentum ahead of a heated Kyotera County race between opposition NUP party’s John Paul Lukwago Mpalanyi and State Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kasolo of the NRM.
They claim security operatives worried that King Saha – widely known for his affinity with the National Unity Platform (NUP) – would energise thousands of youth and inadvertently boost Mpalanyi’s standing.
In a constituency already tense, insiders say authorities feared an overwhelming show of support in a public space that could overshadow NRM visibility.
When contacted on Monday, an enraged King Saha did not hide his frustration.
‘This is my home. I came to perform, not to cause chaos,’ he said, adding: ‘But if anyone thinks they can trample on my rights, they are mistaken. I will seek justice, whatever it takes.’
The singer, who has always spoken fondly of Kyotera as the community that shaped him, described the blockade as deeply painful, despite recently staging a well-attended concert at Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala.
Across Kyotera, the backlash was immediate. Small groups gathered on streets, in markets, and around drinking joints to express anger and disbelief.
‘This was not just a concert,’ Joseph Luyimbaazi, an elderly shopkeeper, said, adding: ‘It was our pride. How can our own son be blocked from performing in his birthplace?’
Young people – many of whom had saved for weeks to buy tickets – accused authorities of silencing their voices.
The financial fallout is considerable. Raymond Asiku, the organising manager of King’s Love Entertainment, said police had initially cleared the event before abruptly reversing the decision.
‘We had invested heavily, stage, sound, and lighting, all fully paid. Then suddenly they say no. The regional police spokesperson said today that the show can only happen after the election, can you imagine! How are we going to recover our money?’ he asked.
King Saha declined to reveal the total financial loss but hinted the matter was heading to court, promising that ‘all will be heard before the judge.’