Musician sues Museveni for ‘stealing’ song used in election campaigns – Nairobi News

Musician Richard Kaweesa has sued Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni for allegedly using his song during the 2011 presidential campaigns.

Kaweesa has been on Museveni’s case over the ‘You want another rap‘ song since 2018.

He wants the court to compel the president to pay for using the song.

In a petition before the Constitutional Court, Kaweesa says Museveni should be deprived of his presidential immunity to allow for him be sued in his private and personal capacity.

“In any case, the presidential immunity is not absolute because a president can be a proper and necessary party to legal proceedings in the supreme court, challenging presidential elections under article 104 of the constitution, where he issued for his personal actions during elections. Therefore, not all acts of the president are official presidential actions, which must be protected by presidential immunity,” he argues.

Last year, Kaweesa wrote to President Museveni seeking Ush 5 billion in compensation for copyright infringement.

Kaweesa said he wrote and produced the song which Museveni’s team used to campaign for votes and eventually won the 2011 polls.

In response, President Museveni dismissed the claims, saying he commissioned the song which makes him the ultimate owner.

The president said the song is registered under UG/C/2010/25 in his own name, making him the legal copyright holder.