Louis Lwanga, an Entertainment, Media, and Sports Law Consultant, says events promoter Bajjo’s statement on fixing performance fees for different artists is merely a “social media stunt.”
On Wednesday, the Uganda Promoters Association shared a document stipulating the sum of money each artist in Uganda should be booked for.
The document accessed by this website indicated the maximum fees at which promoters are going to be hiring various Ugandan artists to perform at any event.
The document is reportedly aimed at protecting their business with all the risks involved and to avoid being overcharged by musicians.
Released and signed on by Andrew Mukasa a.k.a Bajjo, the document shows that Bobi Wine is the most expensive artist in Uganda as he goes for Shs20m to have him perform anywhere at a show in Uganda.
He is followed by David Lutalo at Shs6m, Sheebah Karungi Shs5.5m, Eddy Kenzo Shs5m, Jose Chameleone Shs4m, Winnie Nwagi Shs4m, Rema Namakula Shs4m.
According to Louis Lwanga, however, the statement is a social media stunt because there is no law or governing body that regulates earnings in the performing industry.
“(It’s) An obvious social media stunt. Hiring a performing artiste of any kind is contractual between parties. No law or governing body exists to regulate earnings in the performing industry anywhere in the world, except guilds and Unions that set minimum standards of remuneration,” Louis Lwanga tweeted.
“And no such guilds exist in Uganda. There is further no statutory body for that purpose in Uganda. Artistes charge as they wish. As it should be. Free market. These stunts unfortunately take away from the real debate on actual aspects of the industry that should be regulated,” he added.
Bajjo has in different interviews expressed how certain artists like Juliana Kanyomozi overprice themselves, something he believes will lead to the collapse of the local entertainment industry.