Kingmakers eye a ghetto poster boy in Alien Skin: The inside story

Three days before the concert, which was to be held on Friday, June 9, police declared they hadn't cleared the Sitya Danger hitmaker to hold a concert.

When a stampede at Freedom City Mall claimed some revelers who had gone there to usher in 2023, police rolled out new guidelines for concerts.

Abitex, who organised that ill-fated concert, was the lead promoter of Alien Skin's maiden concert.

So, when police announced that the concert hadn't been cleared, many weren't surprised.

But a few hours later, a letter okaying the concert was issued.

Tongues wagged.

Among those really concerned were artistes under the Uganda National Musicians Federation.

Pallaso, who serves as a vice president in the Federation, faced stiff competition from Skin.

He had spent several months promoting his show, but signs were clear that a flop was looming.

Eddy Kenzo, the president of the Federation, sought answers.

Aside from being the Federation's leader, Kenzo is buddy-buddy with Pallaso.

First, Kenzo sought Alien Skin's audience in futility.

He then turned his focus to the promoters.

Promoters also have a Federation and Juma Balunywa is the spokesperson.

Accompanied by musicians, Kenzo met Balunywa and Moses Lubulwa of Luba Events.

They were shocked when Balunywa told them that Abitex had talked to Balaam Barugahara, who promoted Pallaso's Love Fest Concert, and they resolved to have Alien Skin's show.

Surprisingly, Barugahara had in media interviews declared disappointment in Abitex for putting Skin's concert on the same day as Pallaso's.

Abitex is the president of the Uganda Promoters Federation and Barugahara deputises him.

Through the Federation, promoters had agreed to never hold competing shows.

So, some junior members of the Federation were skeptical when their leaders appeared to breach the deal.

According to Kenzo, Abitex and Barugahara harmonised on the Skin show.

Pallaso had days before beat Alien Skin, creating overwhelming buzz about both shows, and, most importantly, sympathy for the latter.

While it's not yet clear who engineered the beating, Balaam Barugahara confessed in an interview that promoters have previously fueled beef among singers as a strategy to market a concert.

The meeting between musicians, Luba and Balunywa was also attended by leaders of AfriAid.

AfriAid is a relief agency founded by Esther Akampumuza, a close associate of Gen. Salim Saleh.

She is also the proprietor of Mutunde Hill-based Serene Suites, where the musicians' federation holds its meetings.

Gen. Saleh's influence in the entertainment industry is humongous.

Operation Wealth Creation (O.W.C.), which he heads -- has sponsored Miss Uganda. Sylvia Owori, the founder of Miss Uganda, is now a director at O.W.C.

Gen. Salim Saleh, who is President Yoweri Museveni's brother, has interacted with almost all the most influential people in the entertainment industry, including the Big Three of Jose Chameleone, Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine.

Meanwhile, one of the leaders at AfriAid during the meeting put Abitex and Barugahara on call.

Abitex confirmed that he had agreed with Barugahara on the terms of holding the Alien Skin concert.

Barugahara hung up the phone.

Some observers believe with his kind of sway, it was highly possible for Barugahara to frustrate the Sitya Danger concert.

Very few people in the music industry, if any, are as connected as he is.

In the guidelines that were introduced after the Freedom City incident, promoters must write to the Inspector General of Police (I.G.P.) ahead of a concert.

In the letter, they indicate where the concert will be, the number of attendees expected for better planning, and also avail to the I.G.P. the measures they are putting in place for controlling crowds with clear and elaborate access control measures, including (hand probes, walk through machines, K9 and scanners).

Anyone who's lived in Uganda long enough will tell you that anyone with influence can't fail to use any of the above requirements to obstruct a concert, especially one that was announced four days prior.

Promoters usually write to I.G.P. two weeks to a month ahead of the concert.

Some also pointed to the fact that Alien Skin was able to move with a crowd in a congested part of Kampala while driving a car without a number plate.

While he's not the only musician with such a car, he's not at the level of big musicians like Kenzo who drive such cars.

It's also important to note that almost all the biggest promoters in the music industry are said to have been involved in organising Alien Skin's concert.

They are Musa Kavuma of KT Events, Abitex himself, Balunywa, Bajjo, Emma Serugo and Halima Namakula (singer and money lender).

There is also Tonny Sempijja, who works Gen. Salim Saleh under O.W.C. He has also met President Museveni at the State House.

Some of the aforementioned promoters were behind Bobi Wine's canceled Kyarenga concerts. The government compensated them.

People familiar with concert promotions will tell you that promoters cut big deals, especially when working with singers that the government is interested in.

Ever since Bobi Wine joined politics, the government has been seen as trying to use musicians to fight him.

So, say, a promoter organises a show with artiste A, they could claim that the show was a loss.

They'll claim that they want to sue the artiste. The artiste, appearing distressed, will rush to the government for bail. The government will pay the promoter. So, the promoter earns from both concert collections and free government dimes.

Now, with Alien Skin, if well-propped up, he stands to become the next ghetto wunderkind.

When Bobi Wine joined the presidential race, the government tried to use a number of fixers to woo ghetto people but there seems to be no major impact.

Even Wine's former associate Bucha Man was put on the State House payroll as presidential advisor on ghetto affairs.

Meanwhile, some sources indicate that businessman S.K. Mbuga bought tickets worth millions for Alien Skin's concert and he has also promised to inject hundreds of millions to organise a fight between Skin and Pallaso.

Skin is said to have agreed though Pallaso is yet to be confirmed. But in interviews, Pallaso said he would fight Alien Skin.

A former bouncer bar bouncer, Alien Skin stands a chance to make major headways if the cards are played right.