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Man behind the song that gets Dr Besigye dancing
Adam Mulwana singing for crowds at one of Kizza Besigye’s rallies. He says it is passion for change that motivated him to sing. Photo by Dominic Bukenya
What you need to know:
Since his song, Toka kwa barabara shot up the campaign music charts, it has been mixed fortunes for Adam Mulwana. He talks about being trailed by strange men, earning the friendship of presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and being the envy of his friends, who think he is making a lot of money from the song. He spoke to Mathias Wandera.
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 flag bearer Dr Kizza Besigye has not been any different. All along his campaign trail, the four-time Presidential candidate has been in the company of the Toka kwa bara bara sounds.
FDC supporters know the chorus by heart, and have been cheerfully singing along every time their candidate is being ushered in at all his political rallies.
At this point, there is no denying that Toka kwa barabara is FDC’s signature sound. In fact, as intimated by Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, FDC party spokesperson, the song has been instrumental to the campaign.
“Politics in Uganda comes with a hard tone, and this particular song has that aspect,” Ssemujju says, citing the song’s title alone.
He also acknowledges the fact that the song has 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.”
Meet the mastermind
The song has played its part. But little is known about the man behind the music, 29-year-old Adam Mulwana.
We got to meet Adams, as his stage name reads, in Makindye, a Kampala suburb.
He is 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 comes off as shady, even paranoid for thinking that someone is hot on his trail for a mere song he did. But when he explains further, you get to see where he is coming from.
On several occasions, Mulwana has 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 explains.
Nonetheless, Mulwana is not shaken. He remains a jolly man, with loud infectious laughter. Like it is on most occasions, he is dressed in baggy military shorts and a fitting T-shirt—he always wears military batiks or a white traffic police outfit.
The love he has for his own music is evident. But not quite as pronounced as his pride in the song he did for FDC, and the admiration he has for Dr Kizza Besigye.
Getting into music
The few people who know him may only be aware of his now famous FDC campaign song, but Mulwana has 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 reveals.
He remembers 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 describes himself as “a paid member of Cream production” started recording songs, specialising in a genre he terms as band music.
Some of his notable songs are; Kampala Ayola and Esala ya Kabaka. He has 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 proclaims.
It is his two elder brothers, however, who died first as Kadogos in the NRA bush war. As he has 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 adds.
Nonetheless, Mulwana’s support for NRM remained undeterred. Today however, he is 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 says, unapologetically.
It is his frustration with the government that pushed him to compose a song to support his candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye’s claim for top office. And contrary to what some may think, the song was not released recently but 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 clarifies.
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 after the money
Some may imagine that Mulwana should now be eating life with a big spoon following his song’s success in FDC. Well, that is not the case. Life, for him, is still tough. Apart from the facilitation he receives in form of meals and accommodation while on the campaign trail, nothing has changed.
“FDC did not pay me for this song,” he asserts. Surprisingly, however, he has 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 does not have a good grip of the Queen’s language.
Nonetheless, as he says, “Dr Besigye has kept a man like me as a friend.” That is one of the reasons he applauds 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. Though, 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 has not brought him many challenges, though he points at his security as hanging in the balance following several threats he receives and the people who have kept intruding his home with peculiar motives. He has approached the police with the issue though he has not received any feedback on how they intend to protect him.
“Perhaps the only other challenge I have is friends who imagine I have a lot of money.” Mulwana reveals, saying that ever since the song went big, his friends are 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.”
