On Saturday at Kololo Airstrip, an interesting development to Operation Wealth Creation was witnessed. Ever since its execution was entirely handed over to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces( UPDF Army), the work of the Operation has been so impressive and creative, but no one thought that an idea like Kadongokamu would be adopted. Well, the competitions between stars in the Ugandan Country Music Genre proved to have paid off really well.
“Kadongokamu”, which loosely translates as “One Little Guitar” or “One Little Beat” is a genre that was birthed in Uganda about the years when we acquired independence. It mainly consists of melodic guitar solos and simple picking patterns of usually one rhythm guitar. Subsequent samples started including more instruments like the piano. Many legendary acts like Sebadduka, Pawulo Kafeero, Kasozi, Dan Mugula, Lord Fred Ssebatta and Herman Basudde The Late, propelled it to the skies, and made it a darling to the lay Ugandan for over four consecutive decades, through the millennium. Despite its decline, due to the rise of other youthful genres of music, Kadongokamu is still perceived as the most educative art in the Pearl Of Africa, given the subject matter of most of the songs.
A friend asked me why of all genres, the army would choose Kadongokamu as the avenue for competitions for the grand prize of 100 Million; citing reasons that the current generation disdains it. I gave him the answer I hinted on in the previous paragraph, with a little more light,
“Kadongokamu is the most educative art we still have in Uganda, and the portion of the population that appreciates it most, is one of the main target of Operation Wealth Creation.” I explained, pointing at the way crowds were cheering the little-known-to-him country artists with lots of passion.
Even though the Coordinator, General Salim Saleh was absent, his Vice, Leutenant General Angina sat in for him. IGP, Gen. Kale Kayihura also graced the event and made a cameo appearance at the stage, welcoming applause rounds from the crowds. Ykee Benda, Fik Fameica and Winnie Nwagi were the non-Kadongokamu artists that came over to support.
At the end of the day, after a long wait, the Guest Of Honour, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the Speaker of The Parliament of Uganda, showed up and presented the awards to the 4 winners out of twenty five. Lord Fred Ssebatta and Vincent Segawa took first and second position. Mathias Walukagga however, who appeals most to the millennial audiences among all Kadongokamu artists, didn’t have a smile on his face when he received his fourth-place award.
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