Kingdom Kampala Fires Back: Management Rejects Blame for Mesach Ssemakula Concert Chaos

Kingdom Kampala management has rejected blame for the disruptions at Mesach Ssemakula’s birthday concert, saying the singer was responsible for tents, seating and other event arrangements.

In a statement dated November 15, 2026, management disputed claims that it blocked organisers from providing rain cover for the 50 Years of Greatness concert on November 13, 2026.

“We did not ban tents or rain cover,” management said.

The response follows Ssemakula’s apology over rain, seating problems and complaints that some fans paid extra for chairs. The singer had accused the venue’s management of frustrating plans to install tents because it opposed driving pegs into the paving. 

Kingdom Kampala gave a different account. It said it refused permission to remove paving stones but advised Ssemakula to find tents that could stand without damaging the surface.

Management said the singer approached it in April 2026, secured a booking and received a Shs5 million discount.

Before he confirmed the booking, management said, it explained that Kingdom Kampala was an office and commercial property offering venue hire rather than hotel event services.

According to the statement, Ssemakula accepted responsibility for tents, chairs, tables, ticketing, food, drinks and event security. He then paid a deposit.

Management also said it requested a written stage layout on April 23, 2026, but did not receive one. Discussions about preparations and changes to the site continued.

On November 4, 2026, Ssemakula requested the removal of some internal fencing. Management said it agreed, although the change fell outside the original arrangements.

It cited footage showing a VIP seating platform installed without removing the paving. That section, it said, remained uncovered despite its advice to secure suitable tents.

“We fulfilled our agreed venue obligations,” management said.

The dispute places preparations for wet weather at the centre of competing accounts of what went wrong.

Ssemakula previously said he spent about Shs300 million preparing for the concert. He blamed a downpour at about 3pm for disrupting seating arrangements and said some people exploited the confusion to sell chairs to fans. He apologised and accepted responsibility for disappointing his audience. 

Kingdom Kampala sympathised with affected concertgoers, saying they deserved a comfortable, well-organised event. However, it maintained that the organisers should answer for the shortcomings.