NRM music studio stirs controversy among members in Mukono

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Members of the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party in Mukono have disagreed on charges for members seeking to record music at the party studio set up in Mukono municipality.

The studio known as M-records was set up at the beginning of this month in fulfillment of a pledge that was made by President Yoweri Museveni six years ago to support talented party members to record audio and visual productions at a lower cost.

After the opening of the studio, members had hoped that it can be used to record songs to support party members in the absence of campaigns. However, members who have already composed songs accuse the studio manager Emmanuel Nsereko also known as Munnamasaka for asking them to pay huge sums of money for the service.

The studio is charging 350,000 to 500,000 for production of one song. But Denis Ggaliwango, one of the irritated members says they have always failed to use Kampala-based studio’s which charge almost the same rate.

“What we are being told to pay is too much, we have talents, we have written our songs but raising the money to record is another challenge. The president gave us an opportunity but money-minded people are already burying it deep,” Ggaliwango notes.

Another member Gerald Nasasira says the president pledged a studio of about 300 million Shillings, part of which was to facilitate the recording of songs by those supporting the party. “We are overcharged, we need a new manager or else the current management produce accountability of the money spent while setting up the first phase of the studio.”

Nsereko however says that once they allow all people to turn up and freely record songs, it will be hard to sustain the studio beyond even a month. “We shall not allow everyone one who turns up to access the studio, it uses power which does not belong to NRM. It is only the president to request for the accountability not everyone.”

State Minister for Water Ronald Kibuule who followed the presidential pledge asked the studio manager to desist from putting extra-ordinary charges that will discourage poor talented people from using their talents. He also tasked the studio manager to present before him the expenditure of the money received.

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URN