By Andrew Kwagala
He has idolized Gen. Muhoozi and has cut out images of him plastered on the walls of his bed-sitter in Kyengera.
For Asuman Muwalya, popularly known as Bacheko, he had never dreamt of getting within in breathing distance of his idol. Not even a song titled, “Daddy Muhoozi” by the singer could give him the breakthrough he longed for.
Lady luck smiled on him recently. Out of the blue, he was sought to perform on the evening Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba was pipped at the Bombo military barracks.
“When I was told that I was to perform at Skyz Hotel, I momentarily froze. At the back of my mind was, how much money should I ask for?” he reminisces.
Fast forward. Bacheko, who eerily sounds like rapper Fik fameica wasn’t paid a single penny by the General. He has no ill-feelings. “I didn’t mind. As I held the microphone to perform, I was engulfed by joy and happiness, which money cannot buy. When Gen. Muhoozi joined me on stage to dance, my legs almost turned to jelly. I couldn’t believe I was the one performing and I quietly thanked God for the favour bestowed upon me,” he reminisces.
For Bacheko, music has been a pass time as he spends most of his days in St. Balikuddembe selling Irish potatoes. He is however considering to spend more time in the studio than the sweltering heat in the market.
“After my performance, I got many contacts at the party, some have already helped me with some money and I am already in studio,” he says.
He joined the Irish potato business in 2017 but confesses he doesn’t look like it. “In the market, people called me an artiste long before I released my first song in 2021. Maybe I was meant to be an entertainer,” he reveals.
He reveals that when he heard year, they were going to launch the “Sevo Cup “in St. Balikuddembe market and Gen. Muhoozi was among those expected to attend, he composed the song “Daddy Muhoozi” and shared it with the organizers. He was duly shortlisted to perform the song, but to his chagrin, Gen, Muhoozi never attended then.
He never gave up. When they heard of the pipping ceremony in Bombo, Bacheko’s manager Emma Lugero against all odds travelled with the singer in the hope they would be lucky and perform. As it turns out, performance was strictly for men in uniform. Their chance happened at Skyz Hotel Naguru.
“We literally pleaded with the organizer. Even when he seemed to agree, the DJ said he never knew about the song. It took us up to three hours of pleading and somehow, we got a chance and Bacheko did a freestyle rendition of the song. For the General to get up and dance was a deal breaker for us,” Lugero said.
Bacheko hopes that General Muhoozi will one day come to his aid and support his fledgling career. “Of course, some people have criticized me for joining politics but I have no regrets. I am on the winning team and besides, my family is so supportive. That is what matters,” he concludes.
