By Chris Zumani Zimba
On 15th October, 2018, the US rapper, Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian met with Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe in Kampala. During their interactions at State House, the Ugandan strongman gave the US rapper, Kanye West a local name, Kanyesigye, which means “Ï trust”. Mr Museveni also gave the rapper’s wife, Kim Kardashian, a Ugandan name, Kemigisha, which means “the one with blessings from God”. The couple who were “excited” by the Ugandan names given to them by the president in return gave the Uganda leader a pair of white sneakers as their gift to him. According to President Museveni’s office, “Kanyesigye informed the Ugandan strongman that he intends to put up a world class tourism school in the country, which will support the tourism industry not only in Uganda but the East Africa region in general”, Mr Museveni’s office added. American hip hop artiste Kanye West and his reality TV star wife, Kim Kardashian are in Uganda on a family vacation. Before meeting the Ugandan leader, the rich American couple enjoyed a game drive at the Chobe Safari Lodge in Murchison Falls National Park located in north-western Uganda.
From the point of many human rights activists and defenders, President Museveni is perceived as ‘an elected oppressor’. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW, 2018:1), “the government of President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, continues to violate free association, expression, and assembly rights”. The face of police and military brutality coupled with impunity has been visible in many citizen protests over controversial constitutional amendments meant to remove the presidential age limit, allow Museveni to run for office in 2021 or empower government to acquire land without meaningful advance consultation and adequate compensation to the citizens. For example, there was no investigation into the November 2016 military and police assault in Kasese that left over 100 people including children dead. In August this year, President Museveni received regional and international condemnation over the arbitrary arrest and torture of Bobi Wine, a local musician turned into lawmaker alongside 32 others who were detained and assaulted for nearly two weeks following allegations that they were behind the stoning of President Museveni’s convoy during campaigning for a by-election in Arua municipality in north-western Uganda.
And according to Wikipedia, Kanye Omari West, also known as Ye, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer who was born on 8th June, 1977 (age 41 years), Atlanta, Georgia and is net worth is currently around US$145 million. In like manner, Kimberly Noel Kardashian West is an American reality television personality, entrepreneur and socialite who first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after a 2003 sex tape with her former boyfriend Ray J was leaked in 2007.
Chris Zumani Zimba is a Political Author, Blogger, PhD Scholar, Researcher and Consultant
