Ykee Benda has expressed his disapproval of fellow artist Azawi’s decision to publicly call out other musicians for not participating in the July #March2Parliament protests against corruption. The protests, which aimed to raise awareness about corruption and abuse of office, saw several artists, including Ykee Benda, Allan Toniks, and Bruno K, using their social media platforms to voice their concerns.
Azawi, a star from Swangz Avenue, took her activism a step further by criticizing artists who did not join the movement, a move that has sparked controversy within the industry. Notable figures like Eddy Kenzo and Mathias Walukagga have voiced their disagreement with Azawi’s approach, stating that her actions were inappropriate.
Adding his voice to the conversation, Ykee Benda, the Mpaka Records boss, shared his thoughts on the matter during an interview with Sanyuka TV. While he has been a vocal critic of corruption himself, Ykee Benda believes that Azawi’s public call-out was a mistake.
“If you have been noticing, I have been speaking against corruption for a very long time. I was with her (Azawi) on that matter, but I cannot call out grown-up artists to join the cause. I blame her for that,” Ykee Benda said.
He emphasized that while it’s important to speak out on issues that matter, it should be done without exposing or pressuring others who may have their reasons for not participating. “She should have spoken her mind independently and not called out other people because only she knows how it (corruption) affects her. The other artists as well have their reasons for not coming out. For her to have sacrificed others to look like Jesus wasn’t nice,” he added.
Ykee Benda’s remarks reflect the ongoing debate within the Ugandan music industry about how best to approach activism and social issues without alienating fellow artists.