Veteran Ugandan musician and music manager Chagga Geoffrey has dismissed rumours that he was deported from the United Kingdom, insisting that his return to Uganda is voluntary and that he intends to return to London for work.
Speculation recently circulated that Chagga had returned home against his will, with some claims suggesting that immigration status or work permit issues may have affected his stay in the UK. However, the musician has denied the deportation reports.
Speaking in a recent podcast interview, Chagga said he had been engaged in kyeyo — casual or manual work — in London and indicated that he was not prepared to disclose the details of his personal affairs.
“I have been on kyeyo in London and I’m still doing it. If I returned to Uganda, how do you know how I came? Or that I’ll go back? I don’t disclose my personal matters anymore,” he said.
Chagga also maintained that he had not broken any UK laws that would warrant deportation. He argued that people who are deported often return home with nothing, suggesting that his circumstances were different.
“I’m protected by those whites,” he added, without providing further details about what he meant by the statement.
The musician also recounted the difficulties he experienced when he first arrived in the UK. According to Chagga, the people who were expected to meet him at the airport failed to show up because they wanted him to seek asylum from the authorities, an option he said he did not want to pursue.
“I found good and bad people there and things were hard at first because even the ones who were supposed to pick me up from the airport didn’t come because they wanted me to seek asylum from the authorities, but I didn’t want that. I manoeuvred and eventually left the airport and started my journey in the UK,” he explained.
His account offers a glimpse into the challenges he says he faced while trying to establish himself in Britain, although he did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding his initial arrival.
Despite the rumours about his return to Uganda, Chagga maintains that he has not abandoned his plans to work in the UK. He says he intends to return to London and continue pursuing opportunities to improve his circumstances.
The musician’s denial addresses the speculation surrounding his return, but the supplied account does not independently establish his immigration status or the circumstances of his travel between the two countries.