What’s next for artistes post Gen Salim Saleh?

The Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) Gen Salim Saleh
What you need to know:
The issue: Artistes.
Our view: Today, after years of artistes flocking Gulu and realistically fighting more than singing, the general pulled the plug. He says he is done with artistes if they can’t organise themselves. The big question that remains, what is next for these people, some had forgotten how to even compose a song.
If there was one thing that has been trending online, of course alongside the holiday season, it must be the situation involving artistes and Gen Caleb Akandwanaho, aka Salim Saleh.
The relationship between the veteran army officer and Uganda’s music sector is one that spans years and has been in the making longer than many people may know.
However, the very first time most people learnt about the good old general’s relationship with the industry was in 2006, then, he was mediating between Bebe Cool and Chameleone who had been bickering and things were getting out of hand.
After that saga, he would once in a while be photographed hanging with Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine but that was all.
It was only in the 2020s that the general’s name resurfaced in the industry circles, a lot had happened at the time, his old friend Bobi Wine was a key Opposition figure and was carrying a wave of the youth with him.
At the same time the industry was vulnerable, with existing taxes and permits, concerts, which are the biggest source of income for artistes across the globe, were no longer profitable, yet the cost of putting them together continued to escalate.
In need of solutions artistes started formalising to seek regulation of the industry with much of the interest hinged on ensuring the copyright law serves its purpose.
Then associations were formed and somewhere during the various meetings, it was suggested that just like other professions or vocations such as farming, artistes should organise and too enjoy some of the benefits such as Operation Wealth Creation.
Salim Saleh is the chief coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation and artistes were not new to him; the man had stopped a fight between the country’s two titans before.
Thus it wasn’t surprising he shifted the artiste capital to Gulu.
Every now and then artistes mobilised and went to Gulu, associations were formed, disbanded, registered and dissolved… artistes and promoters started organising for Saleh and Gulu.
Today, after years of artistes flocking Gulu and realistically fighting more than singing, the general pulled the plug.
He says he is done with artistes if they can’t organise themselves. The big question that remains, what is next for these people, some had forgotten how to even compose a song.