By Our Reporter
Uganda has thousands of musicians but the commonest thing is that almost all of them claim to be rich or at least paint a picture that they are very loaded, going by the visuals in their music video.
However, there are those who are super-rich and here is list of the richest musicians in Uganda according to Forbes 2020. They are the most influential celebrities in Uganda currently.
1. Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine
The self-styled Ghetto Gladiator, who is the Member of Parliament for Kyadondo East and a 2021 presidential contender, is living large. He is the richest musician in Uganda. Here are some of his properties;
He owns Bukoto based Firebase Records. He owns a residential house in Magere and also does farming in Gomba District. His fleet of cars includes an Escalade, a Land Cruiser V8, while he bought his wife Barbie a Range Rover. Bobi Wine is said to own a flat in Kanoni town, Gomba District plus a huge chunk of land, a storeyed in Kamwokya, he is currently erecting a private hospital in Kyadondo and is said to own several boda-boda motorcycles.
He owns One Love Beach Busabala, has some shops and rentals in Kamwokya and land in Wandegeya among other property. Recently, he bought a boat which is branded ‘Regal Yacht’. This boat came with several talking points. While Bobi Wine says that it’s a new lavish yacht he bought at about Shs500 million, a great section of the public and media insists that it a second hand boat that Bobi Wine refurbished after purchase.
2. Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleone
Popular singer Jose Chameleone, who a 2021 Kampala Lord Mayor contender, one of the richest musicians in Uganda. He owns a residential flat in Seguku, off Entebbe Road, although word had it that he had sold the crib. He drives a Range Rover but also has Land Cruiser V8, a BMW among other cars. He owns a huge chunk of land on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe where he had started up Coco Beach although the project has since stalled. Chameleone has also invested in night spots and reliable information indicates that he is building apartments along Entebbe Road, on top owning rentals in Kawempe.
He also owns a personal studio (Leone Island studio) where he usually works on his music projects before he gets other producers to fine-tune them.
A few years ago he unleashed mobile phones branded ‘Chameleone’ after phones he signed a partnership with Chinese Company that manufactures the phones. He pays the company its cost of production and transportation after which he takes the balance from the sales. Chameleone also made a lot of money during the President Yoweri Museveni ‘Tubonga Nawe’ 2016 campaign trail which enabled him to buy a house in America, where his family stays after relocating from Uganda.
3. Moses Ssali Bebe Cool
He owns a full set sound system (PA) inclusive of a band, lighting and loud speakers that can serve an audience of 20,000 people. It has been used at a number of concerts at Kiwatule Recreation Grounds, his father’s facility. During his ‘Big Size’ concert at Kati Kati a few years ago, the same music system was used together with Silk Events.
He owns prime land in Kiwatule, a three- bedroom apartment blocks in Kiwatule with 4 units. He lives in a residential crib he built in Kiwatule and although he once had his trademark hammer, these days he drives a Mercedes Benz and a Land Cruiser V8. He has also involved in different charity activities aimed at raising funds for cancer treatment and kidney transplant.
4. Daniel Kazibwe aka Ragga Dee
The veteran singer who is also an upcoming politician has a lot to show that he reaped from music. He drives a hummer and other luxurious vehicles, owns a beach located on Lake Victoria shores in Busabala, has a business dealing in importation of cars for sale and hire. He also owns an expensive mansion that serves partly as his home and studio in Makindye, Kampala. He is the fourth richest musician in Uganda
5. Mesarch Semakula
Semakula is a founding member of the defunct Eagles Productions band, which later rebranded into Golden Productions band. He owns Kann Studios, has several plots of land in Luweero, Kisenyi and Buwaate. He also owns several apartments in Buwaate, Lubowa and Zzana and a big rental flat in Bunamwaya. Ssemakula is also constructing a flat in Buziga. He makes it to top 10 richest musicians in Uganda.
6. Ronald Mayinja
He is also a founding member of Eagles Production and a director in the Golden Production Band. Mayinja owns Roma Hotel, has land in Buziga, two houses in Lukuli Nanganda, Roma Hardware in Kireka and several plots of land. He also owns trucks (mainly Lorries) hired to transport goods. He is among the richest Musicians in Uganda and takes position 6, although word has it that he is currently battling financial woes and that creditors have since seized some of his property.
7. Geoffrey Lutaaya
Lutaaya is another founding member of Eagles Production band but he broke away with his wife Irene Namatovu to start Da Nu Eagles and together they are living a wealthy life. Lutaaya owns a chain of properties. These are; a lavish home in Munyonyo, Durban Motel along Entebbe, Dance Flo bar/club in Nateete and several plots of land in Nateete, plus a swanky crib in Busabala. He is also constructing a hotel along Busabala Road in addition to different cars he and his wife Namatovu own.
8. Grace Nakimera
Grace Nakimera drives a Prado. She owns Pinky Salon in Kampala. She also owns land in Namugongo, Kisaasi, and Mukono district. She is one of the richest female musicians in Uganda
9. Haruna Mubiru
Formerly a member of Eagles Production band, Mubiru is the founder and CEO of Kream Productions band. He owns a well-equipped music band together with musicians and music instruments, a flat in Kabowa, rentals in Kabowa, and several expensive cars, plus three wives each in her own house.
10. Goodlyfe crew
Goodlyfe crew of Moze Radio and Weasel has for the past four years collected several millions of shillings from their music. Despite Moze Radio’s death in 2018, the Goodlyfe crew still own several properties together which include houses in Makindye, plus several plots of land and buildings along Entebbe road.
This is in addition to a range of cars which have since been taken over by Weasel following Radio’s death. To date, Weasel still receives a percentage of all musical works that he either did with Radio or the ones he (Radio) left behind. However, Team No Sleep (TNS) boss Jeff Kiwanuka contends that he has a stake in all the Goodlyfe properties.
11. Eddy Kenzo
The former husband of singer Rema Namakula, Eddy Kenzo in June 2015 purchased a multimillion mansion in Seguku, Kampala. He owns various cars which include a Range Rover Sport model that was given to him by the Kaki Investments Boss, a Black El-Grande car, a Land Cruiser V8 and plots of land in Kampala.
He is the Ambassador of Airtel, Ambassador of Tourism, Ambassador of Ambition Mission Uganda and many other entities. He has toured over 30 countries around the world collecting the dollars as he performs, some of which he used to start up Big Talent studios in Makindye. Kenzo closes Part 1 the list of richest musicians in Uganda, although he is currently stuck in Ivory Coast, where he was caught up by the COVID-19 lockdown.