Police blocked Busoga One Radio’s annual music festival, ‘Endigito 2025,’ on Sunday, causing the station owner and National Unity Platform (NUP) parliamentary candidate Paul Mwiru to claim financial losses of over Shs400 million.
The concert, which runs district activations from February and was to culminate at Jinja Agricultural Show Grounds, had received multiple clearances, including from the Inspector General of Police and the District Police Commander.
Yet on the eve of the festival, the Jinja City Security Committee reversed the approvals, citing the possible attendance of NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
‘We told them he is a presidential candidate with his own campaign schedule and we had no programme of him attending,’ Mwiru said.
He added that artists such as King Saha, Mathias Walukaga, Easy B, and Atwooki Richie were unfairly labelled as potentially politicizing the event.
On December 4, the committee, chaired by Richard Gulume Balyaino, informed organisers that the festival would not proceed, arguing there was ‘no guarantee’ that Kyagulanyi would not appear and citing security risks during the political season.
The blockade followed a directive from Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire on December 5, ordering the IGP to allow the concert.
‘The event should be allowed to take place. Even during this political period, political statements are not banned. Space must be given for political expression,’ Otafiire wrote.
Despite this, police on December 6 dispersed vendors and service providers assembling at the venue, insisting they ‘take orders from the Security Committee, not the minister.’
Speaking to journalists in the city on Sunday, Mwiru said the cancellation inflicted massive economic losses. ‘We booked and paid for the venue, paid 38 musicians, and cleared other service providers. Women and youth groups bought perishables expecting to sell at the event, and now everything is rotting,’ he noted.
‘We were expecting Shs1 billion from the concert, but now all I can do is count the losses,’ he lamented.
Twaha Isabirye, a resident of Bwonda Landing Site in Mayuge District, had travelled from early morning to attend the festival.
‘I travelled at 4am, but now I feel terrible that the event has been banned,’ he said, while Joram Kyomya from Kayunga District arrived unaware of the cancellation.
‘No one informed us. I was shocked when I reached the showground and found everything closed. It is very disappointing.’
Mwiru accused security agencies of targeting the station because of its opposition affiliation.
‘This is an attack on Busoga’s business community, on women and youth who rely on such events for income,’ he said.
Legal action is planned, with the station seeking damages under Article 26 of the Constitution.
‘We have already tallied Shs400 million, but the accountant is still reviewing records. We expect to seek both specific and general damages,’ Mwiru added.
Despite the setback, he vowed to continue operations. ‘Busoga One Radio is here to stay. We will not compromise our standards to appease anyone. I separate politics from business, and I am not about to surrender,’ he said.