Uganda: African Children's Choir to Sing for the Queen

Uganda: African Children's Choir to Sing for the Queen

The Monitor (Kampala)

COLUMN
7 March 2008
Posted to the web 6 March 2008

Abbey Rafsanjan Tatya and Darius Mugisha

African Children's Choir is one of the best music exports from Uganda. One of their songs was used as the soundtrack for Blood Diamond starring Leonardo Di Caprio last year.

You still bet your life you can do what they do? We don't think so, because the children have been invited by Queen Elizabeth II for the second time.

A source told 24-Seven that African Children's Choir will sing for Her Majesty at Westminster Abbey on March 10, which is the Commonwealth Day.

The Ugandan group is one of the few who have been invited to entertain one of the world's most-respected ladies. But this isn't a new thing to them because they have recently performed for the likes of President George W. Bush on three different occasions and for Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

Which judge needs to refuel?

Mr Augustine Nshimye Sebutulo who has been nominated to become justice of the court of appeal gave us reason to laugh last week.

High profile people like this senior citizen who is a former MP and minister are not immune to embarrassment. It was last Wednesday at around 11a.m. when he faced the reality of life after his red BMW ran out of fuel as he approached Crane Bank along Kampala Road.

The gentleman was rendered helpless by the stubborn car. And he was alone, if we may add. So, he decided to switch on the hazard lights amidst hooting from other drivers behind him as he engaged his cell-phone apparently calling someone to run to a petrol station and get him fuel.

Could it be that as a big man, you forgot to check the fuel tank before setting off since you're used to driving on a full tank or something else? Please Mr Nshimye tell us why you run out of fuel, as you can no longer blame the Kenyan crisis.

K-Ci & Jojo to perform on Easter

"All my life...Yes, I pray that you do love me too..." Who did not love the R&B duo that was K-Ci & Jojo?

They came into our love lives with their great hits in the 90s. But then, like all good things, Jojo has noticeably lost his once sweet and smooth voice and has become screechy leaving K-Ci to do his difficult parts during recent tours.

Before you shed a tear or two in memory of Jojo's voice, we've got good news for you - the duo released their fifth album titled, Love in Japan last month and they will perform at Kati Kati Restaurant in Kampala on Easter Sunday, March 23.

Entrance fee is Shs25,000 whilst VIP is Shs75,000. And according to exitkampala.com, K-Ci and Jojo Hailey will be in the country on March 19 for promotional appearances before flying to Tanzania and Malawi for concerts on Friday and Saturday respectively. Then they will return to Kampala for the Easter Sunday concert.

Halima Namakula and her son Hemdee Kiwanuka's No End Entertainment are organising the show on the sponsorship card of EABL.

Guess who's back

Welcome to the celebrity version of pin the name to the face on your TV set. It's called guess the celebrity who is back to reading news on TV. You know this gentleman had left radio and TV for the academic field but he is back with a bang.

Well, the rule of the game is: Keep the name male and if you guess correctly, you win, well, nothing. Ready to play? OK, this chap was a presenter on CBS FM before he started reading news on UTV but he left for ILO where he also left to become the publicist for Uganda Christian University. But he is now also reading news on WBS TV as a replacement for Maurice Mugisha who left for NTV. It's now so easy to guess his name, isn't it? The gentleman is... Owen Kibenge.

Akon to perform in Kenya

At last, our brothers and sisters in Kenya may have a better way to celebrate the return of peace, at a mega concert that will feature Senegalese-born International musician Akon.

Several attempts had been made by numerous promoters in Kenya to fly in Akon since last year but they all hit a dead end and matters worsened following the post-election violence.

A few weeks back, Akon finally finalised a deal with a Kenyan promoter only identified as Anthony and the artiste is expected to hold a show in Nairobi sometime this month.

Music lovers in Kenya are waiting to party with Akon, but Anthony said he's yet to disclose the exact date and venue for the concert. In the meantime, sad news for Akon's Ugandan fans, because Akon's visit that was slated for April 5 has been pushed towards the end of April.

Uganda: African Children's Choir to Sing for the Queen

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US-based promoter Suudi Lukwago told 24-Seven that an unidentified Ugandan promoter already paid up to 50 percent of Akon's charges to hold two shows in Kampala, but decided to push the concerts citing lack of enough funds to organise the concerts at the beginning of April.

Mwine apologises for taking BBAII job

Usually, celebs love to bask in the glamour and glory of their new jobs but they never want to talk about the thorny side of things. Take an example of former Big Brother Africa II field presenter and now station manager of Power FM, Ben Mwine.

The lad has kept his mouth shut over the difficulties he underwent to get his new job but trust us to unearth all the secreted tittle-tattle.

Folks, we want to tell you that Mwine was made to apologise before a congregation at Kampala Pentecostal Church (KPC) before he was offered the job of station manager at Power FM last week.

He apologised because of his stint with the Big Brother Africa II show that the church believes is sacrilegious. Mwine's apology, though, was screened to the church on a projector and he received applause at the end of the footage. Well, we hope that Ethics Minister Mr Nsaba Buturo too accepts your apology, Mwine.

Helen Lukoma's sales skills

Who knew Helen Lukoma had it in her? Sales skills, that is. Bustling and hustling on the busy Kampala streets all in the name of hitting market targets for a newspaper, the Obsessions dancer is showing off her talent these days.

Our snoops have spotted Lukoma frequenting one of the leading media houses in Industrial Area.

And a source told us that, actually, she has been working for that newspaper "for months now." And frankly, it's good to see a beautiful girl or rather a celebrity come to your office asking you to advertise with her company!

However, Lukoma is doing the marketing job as part-time as she still goes to Mubs for her studies and later joins her fellow Obsessions members for what they do best.

Redsan not cool with Bebe

We all know of the once solid brotherhood amongst the three East African dancehall musicians, Redsan, Jose Chameleone and Bebe Cool. As of now, Jose Chameleone and Bebe Cool are the worst of enemies and things are not good between Bebe and Redsan either.

Their beef doesn't stem from musical competition nor does it involve brawling, but financial misunderstandings. Redsan was in town last week and spoke to 24-Seven at Hotel Africana where he was staying.

During the conversation, we asked the Kenyan dancehall maestro if he had taken sometime off to visit his long-time colleagues Bebe Cool and Chameleone.

Redsan said he had visited Chameleone and they had even recorded a duet at the Seguku-based Leone Island studios, but Redsan swore not to talk to Bebe Cool again. Apparently, Bebe swindled him of KShs180,000 (about Shs4m), which Bebe was supposed to pay him after taking him for a concert in Fort Portal sometime last year. "Tell Bebe I can never do anything with him before he pays me my Shs4m.

He lied that he would pay me but it's now coming to a year and he hasn't even called me," Redsan said, adding that he called Bebe as soon he landed in the country last week, but he told him that he was on his way to the airport to catch a plane to Sweden, but still didn't say when he would pay him.