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Uganda's Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, has offered a formal explanation for the long-standing ban on concerts by musician and opposition leader Bobi Wine.
Bobi Wine’s last concert took place in November 2018. He has been prevented from holding musical performances for approximately seven years, with subsequent attempts to organise events being forcefully broken up by the police.
The police have consistently accused him of using his concerts to incite the public.
Kiwanuka provided this explanation while addressing the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, where he was offering his views on the proposed Copyright Amendment Bill 2024.
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Balancing Artistic Rights with Public Safety
During the committee hearing, Members of Parliament pressed Kiwanuka on how artists like Bobi Wine could be protected under the new copyright law if they were not permitted to perform.
In his response, the Attorney General explained that the police are mandated to ensure the safety of both the performers and the audience.
"If the artist is likely, in the view of the police, to become a problem to the public... there is another law that allows the police to come in to protect the public from misuse by the artist," Kiwanuka stated.
He also noted that police can intervene if there are concerns about the safety or suitability of the venue.
Artists Must Adhere to All Laws
Kiwanuka urged artists to be mindful of all existing laws, not just the new copyright legislation.
"I am not sure of the circumstances of Bobi Wine, but what I can say is that while this law is here to protect the artists, they too must be mindful of the other existing laws," he said.