Ugandan singer Ava Peace has pushed back against media personality Omulangira Ndausi after he described her as one of Jeff Kiwa’s “failed projects,” questioning the assessment and arguing that her music career should not be judged before she has had enough time to grow.
Ndausi recently questioned the returns on the investment in Ava Peace’s career, arguing that the singer should have achieved more by now given the resources and support reportedly put behind her. His remarks prompted a response from the TNS artist, who maintains that success in the music industry requires patience, perseverance and time.
In response, Ava Peace challenged the basis of Ndausi’s conclusion, saying she remains on her journey toward the top rather than at the end of it.
“I don’t know what Omulangira Ndausi based his conclusion on to describe me that way, but what I can tell him is that Rome wasn’t built in one day,” she said.
The singer acknowledged that an entertainment career comes with difficulties but argued that setbacks do not necessarily determine the final outcome.
“There are hardships and so many other challenges, but eventually, someone gets to win,” Ava Peace added.
However, her response went beyond defending her progress. She also questioned why some people continue to compare her with fellow Ugandan singer Sheebah, whom she openly identifies as one of her musical inspirations.
Ava Peace pointed to the difference in their career timelines, recalling that Sheebah joined the Obsessions music group in 2006, when Ava Peace was still in Primary One.
“Let me assume Sheebah joined Obsessions in 2006. By that time, I was in Primary One, over 20 years ago, when I was still in lower primary,” she explained.
For Ava Peace, the comparison overlooks the different stages of their musical journeys. She questioned why she was being treated as a threat when, according to her, Sheebah is someone she has looked up to and learned from.
“It would be a lie if I denied that I grew up watching Sheebah. She has done lots of good things and made me believe that I can also make it to the top level,” she said.
The singer also rejected suggestions that she has disrespected Sheebah or harboured bad intentions toward her. She said she had even revisited her old videos to check whether she had ever made comments that could be interpreted as looking down on the established star.
“She has never treated me badly at all. I wonder why the team would continue poking me. I’ve never insulted or abused Sheebah at any single moment,” Ava Peace stated.
She added that reviewing her past videos did not reveal an incident in which she had deliberately disrespected Sheebah.
Ndausi’s criticism centres on whether Ava Peace has delivered enough results relative to the investment in her career, while the singer’s response focuses on the time and persistence required to build a lasting presence in Uganda’s competitive music industry.
The exchange highlights a familiar debate in entertainment: how quickly should a developing artist be expected to deliver commercial success, and how fairly can their progress be measured against performers with longer careers?
For Ava Peace, the message is clear: she believes her journey is still unfolding, and being compared with one of her own inspirations should not be mistaken for a rivalry.