Musician Moses Ssali aka Bebe Cool has suspended musical performances indefinitely over what he called safety concerns.
Bebe Cool has been at the receiving end of public hostility and anger for refusal to condemn torture meted on musician turned politician – Kyadondo East – legislator Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine by security agencies during last month’s political melee in Arua.
Bebe Cool is a Museveni diehard while Bobi Wine early this year launched a people power movement, seeking to oust Museveni from power.
Bebe Cool was booed off stage and pelted with beer and water bottles on Friday at Lugogo Cricket Oval during the Bell Jams Swangz Avenue All Star concert. Revelers threw bottles at Bebe Cool as they Bobi Wine’s “people power” slogan.
“For the safety of myself, family, friends and fans, I regrettably would like to announce that I will not be making any public performances until further notice. My prayer is that the current situation in our beloved country doesn’t deteriorate into an unfortunate state,” Bebe Cool said.
Full statement
My name is Moses Bebe Cool Ssali, a Ugandan by birth, a Muganda, a Muslim, a father, a husband, a brother, a son and a friend to many. I have been in the music business for more than 20 years now and I am proud to say that I have made a great contribution to the development of the Ugandan, East African & African entertainment industry.
It gives me great pride to witness several young musicians, comedians, instrumentalists and promoters make a fine living in this entertainment industry. In this same industry, I have built a life for myself, my family, friends and many dependents. The current fruits from this industry would not have existed if Uganda did not have peace, freedom, tranquility and tolerance for each other’s’ religious, political and cultural beliefs.
For the last few weeks, I had chosen silence as a means to exercise my tolerance for the political events that are currently transpiring in the country. Unfortunately, while at a performance last Friday, I was pelted with bottles and stones by a group of people purportedly because I do not subscribe to their political beliefs.
For the safety of myself, family, friends and fans, I regrettably would like to announce that I will not be making any public performances until further notice. My prayer is that the current situation in our beloved country doesn’t deteriorate into an unfortunate state. For God and my Country.
– URN
