Events promoter Abbey Musinguzi, popularly known as Abtex, has described organising concerts in Uganda today as “total gambling”, citing the financial risks promoters face when staging shows.
According to Abtex, concerts were once a profitable business for both artistes and promoters, with major musicians capable of filling large venues within days.
He pointed to legendary musician Fred Sebatta’s concerts at Nakivubo Stadium as an example of how the industry has changed.
“I attest to you that organising a concert is gambling. Back in the day, organising concerts was business. One would organise a concert for Fred Sebatta at Nakivubo, and could sell out in a few days, unlike today,” he said.
Abtex also paid tribute to veteran musicians including the late Paul Kafeero, Herman Basudde and Moses Matovu, crediting their generation with laying the foundation for Uganda’s music industry.
“We talk about people like him as proper examples because most of the people admired those guys. The likes of Paul Kafeero, Herman Basudde, and Moses Matovu. That generation was the foundation of Uganda’s music industry,” he said.
He further highlighted the financial pressure involved in staging concerts, saying promoters can suffer major losses when shows fail to attract enough audiences.
Abtex claimed that the pressure has become so intense that some promoters have experienced serious emotional distress after losing money on concerts.
“Lately, you organise just one concert, and you make losses out of it to the extent of going mad. There is a promoter I know who almost went mad,” he added.
His comments come amid ongoing debates in Uganda’s entertainment industry over the rising costs of staging concerts and the financial risks promoters face when investing in major shows.
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