Popular musician Kiddy Face has declared that Northern Uganda no longer needs Kampala or venues like Lugogo Cricket Oval to legitimize its music industry.
In a strongly worded post, Kiddy Face said for decades a narrative was deliberately created that success in Uganda’s music industry "begins and ends in Kampala". According to him, that story has "outlived its time".
“Northern Uganda does not need Kampala or Lugogo Cricket Oval to legitimize its music industry,” he wrote.
He pointed to the growth of infrastructure in the region as proof. Northern Uganda, he noted, now has Gulu City, a rapidly growing metropolitan centre, and Pece War Memorial Stadium which is being upgraded into a world-class facility by the Government of Uganda.
He added that the region already has premium venues such as Acholi Inn Hotel that have successfully hosted international artists, including Rudeboy.
He recalled that Awilo Longomba was performing in Northern Uganda long before many people realized it, “not because Kampala approved it, but because the North is a viable entertainment market.”
Kiddy Face argued that the days of Kampala acting as the gatekeeper of Uganda’s entertainment industry are over.
“Digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Spotify, and other streaming services have broken the monopoly once enjoyed by a handful of media houses and entertainment cartels,” he said. “Artists no longer need to kneel before anyone for airplay, validation, or relevance.”
He said Northern Uganda now has its own audience, culture, venues, producers, media platforms, and identity.
“Our market is strong enough to sustain our artists without forcing them to sacrifice their dignity for acceptance elsewhere,” he added.
The singer dismissed claims that focusing on the region is regionalism, saying it is instead self-belief. He noted that production standards in the North now compete with the best and that local music dominates because the people have embraced their own artists.
“Those who still believe Kampala owns Uganda's music industry are living in yesterday's Uganda. This is a new era where every region has the right to determine its own creative destiny,” Kiddy Face stated.
He concluded with a rallying call:
“To those who still think Northern Uganda must seek permission before claiming its rightful place, you are mistaken. We are no longer asking for a seat at anyone's table we are building our own.
We are the Children of the Nile Republic.
The North is awake. The North is organized. The North is creating. The North is leading.”
“If that unsettles the old establishment, then perhaps it is time they accepted one simple truth: The monopoly is over. The future of Uganda's music industry belongs to every region not just Kampala.”
His post has sparked wide discussion online, with many Northern artists and fans backing the call for regional self-reliance in music.
