Events promoter Abbey Musiguzi, also known as Abitex, has spoken about the decline in sponsorship for music events in Kampala.
He attributes this to the numerous events organized within the same period, but also says that artists have lost value, making it hard for promoters to secure sponsors.
He explained that in the past, only one or two events happened per month, but that is no longer the case. He adds that artists' music is primarily enjoyed in bars because it lacks quality.
"A long time ago, there used to be only two events a month, but now there are so many that it’s difficult to secure sponsors. Additionally, musicians have lost their value because most of their songs are only played in bars," he explained in an interview with a local television station.
The promoter also discussed the struggles of hosting and promoting events, explaining that many lack funding and require promoters to borrow money to run them.
"No promoter always has equity cash readily available to invest in an event; they often have to borrow money. Most events lack funding, and the truth is, we might retire and stop organizing events altogether," he says.
He adds that promoters often cover up flops to save artists' brands.
"A promoter might claim a show was sold out to protect the musician’s brand, but deep down, they know the struggles and the pain behind it," he explained.