In a bid to showcase the beauty of the Buganda culture outside Uganda, the Ganda Boys duo, consisting of Denis Mugagga and Daniel Ssewagudde, re-recorded the Buganda Anthem without consent from the Kingdom, something that sparked criticism.
In 2022, The Ganda Boyz brought together a huge choir from all six continents with instruments to sing the Buganda Anthem. In their own words, they termed it a cultural celebration of Uganda’s heritage.
The video recorded in Istanbul, Turkey, was uploaded on their official YouTube channel and has been viewed by more than 120K people.
The Ganda Boyz, accompanied by their aide, Prince Nicholas Mwanga, visited Bulange Mengo to apologize for their actions. During their meeting with Katikiro Owek. Charles Peter Mayega and other necessary kingdom parties, the Ganda Boyz confessed that it was a great mistake for them to record the anthem without asking for permission from the concerned parties.
“We would like to apologize. When we started this, there were a lot of things we didn’t know, and when we ended up making this mistake. Under your counsel and guidance, we are willing to lift the culture through our art,” Denis Mugaga said.
Owek. Mayiga hailed the Ganda Boyz for taking the bold step to apologize and announced that he had pardoned them. He emphasized that the anthem was a sacred symbol in the kingdom that needed to be performed through the proper channels and under strict guidelines.
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“When you come in this spirit, we cannot dwell in the past. You have done well to realize your mistakes, and with this, we accept your apology,” he said.
Katikiro also warned creatives across the industry who use the Buganda Kingdom to promote their art without consent.
“For the time I have been here, no one has ever done something against Mengo and succeeded. Of course, they will trend for just a few days, but then go silent. Everyone who goes against the Kabaka will face this,” he said.
