Political and social critic Frank M. Gashumba has challenged people who describe themselves as celebrities to live up to the image and status associated with the title.
During one of his regular talk shows, Gashumba took aim at self-proclaimed celebrities who, in his view, do not reflect the lifestyle he believes the label should represent.
He specifically questioned those who wear second-hand clothes or use charcoal stoves at home while still calling themselves celebrities.
“Stop branding yourselves as celebrities when you still wear second-hand clothes. And if you consider yourself a celebrity while using a charcoal stove at home, never regard yourself as one,” Gashumba said.
His argument was blunt: if someone chooses to claim celebrity status, they should also be prepared to embody the lifestyle associated with it.
“When you give yourselves that title, you have to look and live it,” he added.
Gashumba then shifted the conversation to his own personal life, making a firm declaration about his marriage.
He said Patience Malaika is the only woman he considers his wife and insisted that he does not recognise any other woman as having held that position.
“I only have one wife. This is a will I’m making from here. If I happen to have more than one wife, Allah should punishment me,” he said.
Gashumba acknowledged that he had relationships before marrying Malaika, saying some of the women he previously dated left with gifts he had given them during those relationships.
“Those that I dated before marrying her, there are things I gave them that they went with,” he said.
He also recalled advice from his late father, who he said warned him against marrying multiple wives after experiencing the challenges that came with having several wives himself.
“One time my father walked me around a hill and advised me never to marry more than one wife,” Gashumba recalled.
According to Gashumba, his father described having multiple wives as a source of additional challenges in life.
“My dad had many wives, and gave birth to us from many wives as he shared the challenges he faced,” he added.
Gashumba further said Malaika is the only woman whose family he formally visited and where traditional marriage-related ceremonies of Kukyala and Kwanjula took place.
“Malaika is the only wife that I visited (Kukyala) and got introduced to her family (Kwanjula). I’ve never visited any other woman’s parents’ home in my lifetime,” he said.
The remarks gave Gashumba’s latest discussion two distinct talking points: his uncompromising definition of celebrity status and an equally firm statement about the woman he considers his wife.