Ugandan music promoters will this week announce their next course of action following a hot-blooded clash with security teams when they went to seek a meeting with Gen Salim Saleh in Gulu city. Abby Musinguzi, aka Abitex, who led the promoters for an impromptu meeting with Gen Saleh, said the encounter went ‘as badly as they anticipated’ and that this Wednesday, they will address a press conference to announce their next move. Concerns Over Funding Disparity and Unauthorised Approach The group of promoters last weekend travelled to Gulu to meet Gen Saleh, the national coordinator of the UPDF’s Operation Wealth Creation. They intended to press him on why he has ignored them for a long time, while doling out billions of shillings to other artists. “We wanted to ask him why people like Jose Chameleone drink a lot of alcohol, fall sick, and get sent hundreds of millions to go for treatment abroad,” Abitex said. “Why is all this money being handed to people like Kenzo, while we, the people who promote their music, are left behind?” Abitext says they went to Gulu to demand that their promoters’ Sacco be capitalised by Gen Saleh. Abitex and his time, however, had not been cleared to meet Gen Saleh. Abitex revealed that they had earlier written to him asking for a meeting, and when he did not respond, they decided to storm his home. Security Intervention and Strained Relations The group arrived at Gulu Airport, where Saleh was meant to receive another guest. They were immediately apprehended and accused of, among others, trespassing and causing tension at the airport, which led to the cancellation of the General’s meeting with his guest. Abitext recounted that Gen Saleh proclaimed that he was “under attack” and directed his security to arrest the promoters. They were bundled in a vehicle and driven to their hotel, where the situation intensified and some of them, including Nobert Twizire of Nobat Events, were badly beaten up by security. Abitex says Gen Saleh told him to his face that their ties had been permanently severed and that he did not wish to see him again.