'Social media was not nice to me' - Jackie Chandiru on why she left Uganda

Chandiru, who was speaking to NBS TV, said social media had become harsh to her, so she needed to get away from negative energy.

"I just went out because I figured social media was not nice to me at that time and psychologically I was still trying to recover to regain my footing because you know drugs weaken you mentally," said Chandiru.

"The social media was not good to me and I knew I was not gonna heal here in Uganda so they decided to take me out of the country."

In 2020, she was taken to Naguru Hospital and Bunamwaya Rehabilitation Centre for treatment, before she was flown out to Kenya as there was no improvement in her health.

This was after she got addicted to pethidine, a drug she had started using to kill back pain that remained following an accident.

After consuming the synthetic opioid, the songstress has said in previous interviews, she would sleep a lot and become euphoric.

A quick Google search shows that other side effects of the synthetic opioid include lightheadedness, sedation, dizziness, sweating, hallucinations, constipation, nausea and vomiting.

After leaving rehab, Jackie Chandiru first went to Europe, before moving to Nairobi. During the interview, she said she has been clean for four years.

Born to Felix Eyaa and Josephine Ayaa on September 13, 1984 at Nsambya Hospital, the songbird went to Lugogo Nursery School and Nakasero Primary School before joining Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School in O-Level.

She left for Vienna College Namugongo in A-Level after which she joined Makerere University to study Industrial Fine Art.

Jackie was singing as young as early as five years of age though she started performing on stage when she joined A-Level. She was both a singer and a dancer.

At Nabisunsa, she was the president of the drama club.

Professional music started when she participated in the TV show Coca-Cola Popstars which led to the formation of Blu*3 in 2004. Steve Jean, whom she always admired, would become the manager of the group that comprised of her, Lilian Mbabazi and Cindy.

In 2004 they recorded their first album dubbed 'Hitaji', which had hit singles like 'Hitaji', 'Frisky' and 'Tomalaako'.

Cindy was fired from the group in 2008 while on a trip to Spain and Mbabazi and Chandiru replaced her with Mya Baganda.

In 2010, the group permanently broke up and each went for a solo career.