KAMPALA – Controversial singer Ronald Mayinja has finally confirmed that he is officially a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Mayinja says he has taken the decision following constant insults hurled at him by supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) on social media.
The singer made the revelation over the weekend in a media interview at the preparations of the NRM presidential flag bearer nomination at the party headquarters along Kyaddondo road.
“I have officially requested NRM leaders to receive me in the party and have not gotten a reply as yet. However, I have joined NRM in my heart at the moment until I meet the responsible leaders,” Mayinja vowed.
He called upon all those that were castigating him and branding him all sorts of names to rest easy since he has now confirmed that he is not a mole in any way.
“They should know that I am now an NRM member, I won’t be coming to do anything to them or spy on them. These people abused me thinking I wanted a NUP flag to contest in Gomba, and I kept quiet about it,” Mayinja claimed.
Mayinja became a center of attention when he sang his political satire song dubbed ‘Bizeemu’ in the face of President Museveni at Serena. He earned praise for it from NUP leader Bobi Wine and a litany of his followers.
However, Mayinja would soon fall off the grid, as he was rumored to have met the president at his Kisozi farm and picked cash to start his own party before collapsing it and dashing back to Bobi Wine where he picked the NUP membership and apologized for meeting Museveni.
Few months down the road, Mayinja released a song praising presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni in which he called him a father figure, whose results are tangible enough and should be voted back in power because he is not like his predecessors Obote and Amin.
In the song, Mayinja heaps praise on Museveni as the best president he has ever seen in Uganda and he believes that he is a gift from God to Ugandans.
“Museveni you have done everything for Ugandans and this term my vote is yours. Museveni you’re better than all the presidents that have ruled Uganda, you have built hospitals, roads and many others. You’re really blessed and we love you,” some of the song lyrics read.
Following the release of the song, the Tuli ku Bunkenke singer was highly castigated by supporters of National Unity Platform (NUP) who labeled him a hypocrite and a money minded traitor given the fact that he had just returned to the party from NRM a few months ago.
In his defense, the legendary Eagles Production singer Mayinja stressed that he was only being a businessman, an artist who can be hired to sing for whoever can pay the sum.
“I said that I am not going to contest. Now that I am a musician, I got a client from NRM who asked me to do an advert for them and that is what I did,” Mayinja said.
He also shared that he is now ready to mobilize support for President Museveni and move on the campaign trail with him once given a chance.
“Whoever has been insulting me should now know that I have returned each and everything, I have returned the NUP membership card and the name. I am now ready to mobilize for President Museveni if given a chance,” he said.
The NRM Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba also welcomed Miyinja’s song for Museveni and slammed allegations that they paid him money. Lumumba emphasized that nobody should claim that the singer was paid to release a campaign song for Museveni.
“We welcome Ronald Mayinja home and we thank God that he was able to get a gift for the president. I want to make it clear that we did not pay him any money, it was out of his own will. I call upon Ugandans to be like Ronald Mayinja,” she noted
Kasule further stressed that it is a sensational hit song that will help boost the mobilization for President Museveni.
Mayinja’s song has since stirred controversy with some people within opposition circles criticizing him for abandoning NUP for NRM.
