Mesach Ssemakula apologises over concert fiasco

Singer Mesach Ssemakula has apologised to fans following complaints about seating charges, expensive parking and production problems at his birthday concert at Kingdom Kampala.

The veteran musician accepted responsibility for disappointing revellers at the November 13, 2026 show. However, he blamed rain, disputes over tents and people exploiting the confusion for several of the problems.

“I have seen that people came to show me love, and I clearly disappointed you and I own it, but nothing was intended,” Ssemakula said.

The concert, dubbed 50 Years of Greatness, celebrated his 50th birthday and music career. Advertised tickets started at Shs150,000, with tables for eight priced at Shs3 million and Shs5 million.

Since the concert, fans have taken to social media to complain about their experience. Some said they paid extra for seats, while others reported parking charges of up to Shs50,000. Other complaints concerned lighting and a performance they considered too brief.

Ssemakula said he had spent up to Shs300 million on preparations and had hoped to give his supporters a special celebration.

“We tried to be well organised right from the press conference. I would not have done all I did to eventually rip people off,” he said.

According to the singer, rain at about 3pm disrupted the arrangements and triggered the problems that followed. He said fans who arrived before the downpour entered without difficulty and found their seats.

He also accused the venue’s management of blocking plans to erect tents because they did not want pegs driven into the paving.

“They even reached a point threatening to cancel the whole show and yet we had injected so much into the show,” he said.

That account represents Ssemakula’s explanation. No response from the venue’s management was available in the material reviewed for this report.

The singer said a second downpour soaked executive chairs and damaged table name tags, which organisers had to reprint. As staff moved the chairs, he said, some people exploited the confusion to charge fans for seats.

“Seats were not supposed to be for sale,” he said.

Ssemakula described those responsible as people who had entered as fans, rather than members of his organising team. Their identities remain unclear.

He also said some revellers resold tickets after using them to enter. Organisers had intended fans to keep the tickets as souvenirs, but each ticket became invalid once scanned.

According to Ssemakula, people collected used tickets, took them outside and sold them to unsuspecting fans who then failed to gain entry.

The show had attracted support from fellow musicians and sponsors, including V&A Sherry and I&M Bank Uganda. Before the concert, Ssemakula had promised fans an evening celebrating his life and musical journey.

Following the backlash, he said the experience had left him hurt and uncertain about staging another concert soon.

“It may take me a while to organise another show,” he said. “I am so sorry.”