Mulwana: Man behind song that got Dr Besigye dancing

In recent times, music has come to play a significant role in the political arena, with many political hopefuls employing particular sounds to enhance their message. And Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party flag bearer Dr Kizza Besigye was not any different. All along his 2016 campaign trail, the four-time presidential candidate was in the company of the Toka kwa bara bara sounds.

FDC supporters knew the chorus by heart, and would cheerfully sing along every time their candidate was being ushered in at all his political rallies.

At this point, there was no denying that Toka kwa bara bara was FDC’s signature sound. In fact, as intimated by Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, FDC party spokesperson, the song was instrumental to the campaign.

“Politics in Uganda comes with a hard tone, and this particular song has that aspect,” Ssemujju said then, citing the song’s title alone.

He also acknowledged the fact that the song had created some sort of identity among FDC supporters, especially the youth. 

“Young people relate better with music, and this song has worked well among our youthful supporters,” Mr Ssemujju said.

Tribute to the mastermind
The song played its part. But people knew little about the then 32-year-old Adam Mulwana, who passed away on February 13 after a long illness.

This newspaper interviewed Adams in February 2016, as his stage name read at the time, in Makindye, a Kampala suburb. Below are the excerpts from the interview that dug into the life and times of Toka kwa bara bara vocalist. 

Adams was cautious about dishing out details of his location and whereabouts. That is why he preferred that we meet at this random location far from his home.

“I do not tell people where I stay. In fact, I have switched houses four times ever since the campaigns began,” Mulwana would later reveal. “I have moved my two children to another location to protect them. So I only stay with my wife. I think that way we are safer.”

Narrating all this, he easily came off as shady, even paranoid for thinking that someone was hot on his trail for a mere song he did. But when he explained further, you got to see where he was coming from. 

On several occasions, Mulwana had mysterious men come to his home, questioning his wife about his whereabouts with no clear reason. 

“That is the reason I have kept moving, only for them to locate me again,” he explained.

Nonetheless, Mulwana was not shaken. He remained a jolly man, with loud infectious laughter. Like it was on most occasions, he was dressed in baggy camouflage shorts and a fitting T-shirt—he often wore camouflage clothing or a white outfit.

The love he had for his own music was evident. But not quite as pronounced as his pride in the song he did for FDC, and the admiration he had for Dr Kizza Besigye.

Getting into music
The few people who knew him may only be aware of his now famous FDC campaign song, but Mulwana had been moving within the musical circles for a while. He started out in 2010 as a ‘poster boy’ in the now defunct Eagles Production.

“My role was promotion. I was always assigned to erect banners and put up posters in various locations ahead of the band’s shows,” Mulwana revealed.

He remembered being deployed to every corner of the country to make sure the posters were up; a job he took very seriously until the time the band started breaking up.

By that time, he had taken an interest in singing and was contemplating a music career. 

Better still, he had made some friends, notably the head of Cream Production, Haruna Mubiru.

“He was a good friend so when he jumped ship to go form a band, I followed him.”

In 2011, Mulwana, who described himself as “a paid member of Cream Production”, started recording songs, specialising in a genre he termed as band music.

His music
Some of his notable songs are Kampala Ayola and Esala ya Kabaka. He had many other songs, which have not enjoyed any airplay.

“I do not have enough money to promote my songs. But even then, the music I make is that of great message, the kind that Ugandans like to turn a deaf ear to. They only want love songs.”

The artiste behind Besigye song
The last born in a family of five was born in Buziranduulu, Luweero District. And just like his deceased parents, he was a strong supporter of the NRM government. “My father died for this government,” he repeatedly proclaimed.

It is his two elder brothers, however, who died first as Kadogos in the NRA (National Resistance Army) Bush War. As he had been told by his maternal uncle who became his guardian after his father’s death, Mulwana’s two brothers joined the Bush War as young teenagers and were both killed in 1983.

His father, having shielded the NRA soldiers for too long, was murdered around 1985 for supporting the rebels and the mother was consequently married off to a government soldier in Nakasongola. “She came back around 1988 but died in 2004,” he added.

Nonetheless, Mulwana’s support for NRM remained undeterred. By the time of the interview, however, he was the man actively using his mouth to bash the government he once revered.

“I supported NRM until 2006. I lost the love for this government because I realised they were not fighting for the greater good anymore. They are out to please their individual interests,” he said, unapologetically.

Crossing to Opposition
It is his frustration with the government that pushed him to compose a song to support his candidate, Dr Besigye’s claim for top office. And contrary to what some may think, the song was not released five years ahead of the 2011 polls.

“I released it two weeks to the voting day. And much as some people refer to the song as Songa Mbele, the original title is Toka kwa bara bara,” he clarified.

Mulwana just marched straight to the FDC head office in Najjanankumbi with the soundtrack, asking to sing it for “Doctor”, only to be told that the FDC team was on the campaign trail in Lira. He jumped onto the next bus to meet the FDC team, and was thrilled when he was allowed to perform the song to the masses. “They all loved it. That is when I even got to meet Dr Besigye and start singing for his campaign.”

Not for the money
Some imagined Mulwana would then be eating life with a big spoon following his song’s success in FDC. Well, that was not the case. Life, for him, was still tough. Apart from the facilitation he received in form of meals and accommodation while on the campaign trail, nothing changed.

“FDC did not pay me for this song,” he asserted. Surprisingly, however, he had no complaints on that. “I did not do the song for the money. I did the song because I believe in Dr Besigye’s struggle. It is a struggle we share. Besides, everyone knows Dr Besigye is not a rich man. No one loves him for his money. We just love and desire his leadership. He is a good man.”

Mulwana’s life circumstances forced him out of school after Senior Three. He did not have a good grip of the Queen’s language.

Nonetheless, as he said, “Dr Besigye has kept a man like me as a friend.” That is one of the reasons he applauded the FDC flag bearer.

“I sang at his final rallies in 2011. But even after we lost, he stayed in touch with me for the five years, often calling to just check on me.”

“At times when things are tough, I ask him for some money as a friend and he provides. We have met countless times and we actually talk. Although, of course, a man like me does not have much to tell the Doctor. I mostly just motivate him and tell him to keep fighting for the people.”

His rise to fame did not bring him many challenges, although he pointed at his security as hanging in the balance following several threats he allegedly received and the people who kept intruding to his home with peculiar motives. He had approached the police with the issue, although he did not receive any feedback on how they intended to protect him.

“Perhaps the only other challenge I have is friends who imagine I have a lot of money.” Mulwana revealed, saying ever since the song went big, his friends were always calling. “And when I do not give them anything, they get mad and think I am mean. Anyway, I am sure the money will come.”