Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine records song to beat coronavirus

KAMPALA (Reuters) – A Ugandan musician and political challenger to the country’s growing older chief released a track right here on Wednesday to enable endeavours to stem the spread of coronavirus in the east African country.

In the track, 38 year-outdated Robert Kyagulanyi, who also goes by his stage identify Bobi Wine, and fellow artist Nubian Li, croon to a tune laced with East Africa’s signature rhumba melodies about the importance of particular cleanliness.

They also exhort persons to routinely clean hands, continue to keep a distance and seem out for signs and symptoms like fever and cough.

Uganda on Wednesday verified five additional scenarios of COVID-19, bringing its tally to 14, 4 times after it recorded its 1st patient.

“The poor information is that absolutely everyone is a probable victim,” Kyagulanyi states in the lyrics.

“But the fantastic information is that absolutely everyone is a probable remedy.”

President Yoweri Museveni’s federal government has already taken a raft of evaluate which include sealing off borders, closing bars, and banning general public gatherings to incorporate the outbreak.

Music has formerly been instrumental in tackling other outbreaks in Uganda.

Songs about HIV/AIDS by one more Ugandan crooner Philly Bongoley Lutaaya, who would later die of the disease, aided spread consciousness in the eighties and 90s and convey down sky-substantial an infection charges.

Kyagulanyi, lengthy dubbed the “Ghetto President” for his star power and songs highlighting urban poverty, has been a headache to the ruling celebration considering the fact that becoming a member of politics in 2017.

After declaring he would like to stand for president, he promptly emerged as a formidable opponent of Museveni, who has dominated considering the fact that 1986 and is widely expected to stand for re-election.

Joel Ssenyonyi, Kyagulanyi’s spokesman, informed Reuters the singer had distributed press releases on COVID-19 and handed out jerry cans and soap to travel up hand washing in communities.

“One other innovative way of speaking is through audio,” Ssenyonyi claimed. “Most persons appreciate to listen to audio so what much better way to place across a concept than through audio.”

In Senegal, activist hip-hop group Y’en a Marre have recorded a rap about washing hands, disposing of utilized tissues and averting crowds in their most current release: ‘Shield in opposition to Coronavirus.’