Uganda: Loketo Lee Receives Peace Recognition Award in Juba

Uganda: Loketo Lee Receives Peace Recognition Award in Juba

The Monitor (Kampala)

January 8, 2007
Posted to the web January 8, 2007

Edgar R. Batte

He will try anything to get himself in the spotlight. Sometime last year, on realising the crowd's failure to cheer him during the regional Pearl of Africa Music (Pam) Award performance in Lira, singer Loketo Lee opted to undress to seek everyone's attention and of course capture the power of the camera. Well, he did get the attention.

Loketo Lee's hit, Salva Kiir, on his Mawe album released in August last year has put him in the limelight again. This time, he made pilgrimage to Juba on invitation of the Executive Director of New Sudan (Juba) where he was awarded for his efforts in the peace process, his contribution being through music.

"This was particularly for his song titled Salva Kiir (the vice-president of Sudan) applauding the different leaders for their contributions in trying to bring back peace in the war torn areas of Northern Uganda, " the Executive Director of New Sudan Aggrey Kanyigwa told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview.

"The Peace Recognition Music award is particularly given to individuals for that respective contribution." An Executive Director is an equivalent to the mayoral status here.

Oneka Loketo Lee expressed appreciation. "I feel proud being the first Ugandan musician to be recognised for a good cause. Even though I didn't manage to meet Salvar Kiir, I feel satisfied my efforts have made a positive impact," Loketo told Daily Monitor via telephone on Saturday.