Tuesday 27 May 2014

The dark life of Uganda’s venerated music celebrities: Goodlyfe musician arrested over bar brawl

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Goodlyfe musician arrested over bar brawl
Publish Date: May 27, 2014
Goodlyfe musician arrested over bar brawl

Mowzey Radio arrives at Katwe police. PHOTO/Josephat Sseguya
newvision
By Josephat Sseguya & Ronald Mubiru
KAMPALA - It was mayhem Monday morning when police stormed Goodlyfe singer Mowzey Radio’s home in Kizungu-Makindye to arrest him following a bar brawl.

The accounts of what had transpired Sunday night are varying, but what is factual is that the singer and his crew had been drinking at Acacia Avenue based Casablanca bar when all hell broke loose.



 Police arrest the singer amidst a scuffle at his home. PHOTO/Ronald Mubiru
Witnesses say the brawl was sparked off by a member of Team No Sleep which is comprised of breakaway Leone Island crew member AK47, his elder brother Pallaso, Sheebah Kalungi and King Saha of the Mulirwana hit.
 Radio (2ndL) and crew were bundled onto a Police Pickup. PHOTO/Ronald Mubiru

One of Radio’s hangers-on is said to have provoked AK47’s group saying without Goodlyfe who featured Pallaso in their Amaaso hit, he would be a nobody. On hearing this AK47 speed dialed his brother who was not in the bar at the time.

 Astounded police officers uproot marijuana from Radio's lawn. PHOTO/Josephat Sseguya
On arrival and after a debrief of what had transpired, Pallaso headed straight for Goodlyfe’s table and punched Radio flat out. A bar brawl broke out prompting management to call police to intervene.

 A close-up of the marijuana at Katwe police. PHOTO/Josephat Sseguya
Police bundled Radio and his crew on a waiting Pickup and whisked them off to Kira police station.
However while at police Radio pleaded that he need medical attention as he was not feeling well and he was released.
Radio with Chagga, the Goodlyfe new manager. PHOTO/Josephat Sseguya

Makindye fracas
Reports indicate that Radio was instead headed for Makindye where the battle had been shifted. Police at Katwe was later to be called after they got reports that Radio’s home had turned into a war zone.
Radio's hanger-on pondering their next move following his arrest. PHOTO/Josephat Sseguya

When police stormed the home it was mayhem. The window panes of his house had been smashed and his car windows shattered. An attempt to re-arrest Radio was met with resistance as his mother and brother put up a fight. However police overpowered them and whisked them to police.
Astounded cops also uprooted plants of marijuana which were growing in Radio’s lawn like flowers.
         
My sons might kill each other – Chameleone’s fatherPublish Date: Jun 02, 2014
My sons might kill each other – Chameleone’s father


 
My sons might kill each other – Chameleone’s father 
 
 My sons might kill each other – Chameleone’s father
Publish Date: Jun 02, 2014
By Martin Ndijjo

Gerald Mayanja who boasts of four musician sons says even he is afraid the misunderstandings among his children could lead to death.

A worried father, Mayanja warns that he is afraid the Goodlfe feuding that has drawn in his sons could turn out to be fatal. “I am afraid these boys might kill themselves,” he told this reporter.

Mayanja is father to Chameleone, Weasel, AK47 and Pallaso.
His remarks follow last week’s chaotic events among the singers that saw former Goodlyfe manager Jeff Kiwanuka, Radio and AK47 arrested after a bar brawl at Casablanca bar on Acacia Avenue.
Chameleone and little brother AK47
Mayanja says the source of all these troubles is the Kizungu – Makindye mansion that is co-owned by Jeff and the Goodlyfe duo of Radio and Weasel.
“Three years ago when I learnt that Radio, Weasel and Jeff were planning to construct a house together I talked to Radio to dissuade them. Radio, who is older than Weasel, has a degree in psychology and I hoped this would help him foresee that it would be problematic,” Mayanja said.
He says they obviously disregarded his advice. He added:
“The Goodlyfe boys are all like my sons and I know each one’s strengths. When I heard they were planning to construct a house together I knew it was Jeff’s plan because he is sly even though he is not well schooled.”
“Ever Radio ignored my advice I started doubting if indeed he learnt anything from his psychology lectures,” a seemingly disappointed Mayanja said.
Mayanja says the only solution to the impasse is to let out the house while they sort themselves out before it gets too late.
“The situation now can be likened to a car that get s stuck in a ditch. It does not make sense to start blaming the driver; the wise thing is to devise means of getting it out of the ditch are move on,” Mayanja reiterated his advice to Jeff and Goodlyfe.
“I do not wish to see them pointing fingers at each other; each one of them has had significant contribution to promoting Goodlyfe. Jeff as a manager has done a wonderful job and the boys should be grateful too,” Mayanja said, adding that since the fracas last week they have called him several times to intervene but he is yet to find time.
Pallaso (left) and Weasel
The Mayanjas growing up
Many admire the Mayanja family for their gift of music right from the father, but wonder why they cannot work together. The old man gave an insight into his sons’ childhood, saying his sons were calm people save for Chameleone.
“ Chameleone’s ways should not surprise you because that has been him since childhood. He is someone you would tell to wash utensils and he would only wash two cups. Wherever he was somewhere you would hear was someone crying,” he says.
“Though rebellious, he was very fond of his siblings and cared a lot for them. He was a very bright kid. I remember the first time I took him to Nakasero primary he failed the interview but devised all means to join the school and in his first term he came third,” Mayanja narrates.
When he got his report card he went straight to the headmaster’s office and showed it to him. “You see you had refused to give me a place!” “He was then allowed to study in the school,” Mayanja says.
On why his sons cannot work together he says besides Jeff Kiwanuka influencing Weasel, his sons cooperate though he does not see the logic in it since each of them can stand on their own and make their own money.
“The feud between Weasel and Chameleone was because of Jeff but now they are on good terms. The reason AK47 left Chameleone was to make his own money like the rest.”
He summed up by giving an example of Michael Jackson’s family that had five musicians yet each was on their own.