General Salim Saleh, who heads Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), has confirmed he paid musician Omulangira Suuna (OS) 11.1 million shillings (about $3,000) for a song promoting OWC. However, Gen. Saleh clarified that the payment was for an “advert,” not just a regular song. He even invited people to compare OS’s work with his own previous musical contributions to OWC.
Gen. Saleh isn't entirely happy with the result. He specifically mentioned being annoyed that he'd given OS a script, suggesting he had concerns about how the project was executed and leballing the song TRASH. He also brought up OWC music from 2017, drawing comparisons to OS's work.
This whole thing came to a head recently at a public event in Gulu, where Gen. Saleh publicly rejected a song by OS intended to promote wealth creation. He expressed his frustration with musicians in general, saying they’re slow and inefficient when it comes to contributing meaningfully to OWC. "Musicians, I'm tired of you," he said, explaining how meetings with musicians like Bucha Man, Ragga Dee, and Odongo were taking up so much of his time that he couldn't even meet with NRM (National Resistance Movement) party members.
His frustration is further evidenced by a handwritten letter he sent to Eddy Kenzo (President of the Uganda National Musicians Federation and a Senior Presidential Advisor on Creatives). In the letter, Gen. Saleh asked Kenzo to address the large number of musicians visiting his home in Gulu during the holidays, many of whom were reportedly seeking financial support.
Cindy Sanyu (President of the Uganda Musicians Association), also known as Cindy, has weighed in on the situation. She urged artists to unite under UMA and avoid becoming dependent on external figures like Gen. Saleh. "Gen. Salim Saleh doesn't run the entertainment industry. We, as artists, do," she stated. Cindy emphasized that the music industry needs artists to follow UMA's structures for sustainable growth, rather than relying on OWC programs. She also mentioned that UMA leaders stopped visiting Gen. Saleh's home a long time ago, as there are government ministries specifically responsible for the music industry, not Gen. Saleh.
It's worth noting that Gen. Saleh has been working with artists and others in Gulu through OWC for a while now, focusing on poverty reduction and economic development.
