Celebrated cultural musician Massamba Intore says it was a great honor to sing for Senior Presidential Advisor in Charge of Special Operations and the Commander of Uganda’s Land Forces, Lt. Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who was celebrating his 48th birthday on Sunday. The singer performed at the birthday celebrations of Museveni’s son twice, alongside 22 other members of the Indashyikirwa cultural troupe who travelled with him on Friday, April 22, for the highly-hyped celebrations. He and the troupe first performed at the pre-birthday bash held at Lugogo Cricket Oval on Saturday before performing before Uganda’s president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame at State House, Entebbe, on Sunday. Massamba performed at Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala, Uganda He performed songs like Kanjogera, Cyonyonyo, Nyaruguru, Hobe and Inkotanyi Cyane. “It was such a huge honor to perform at his birthday and the government supported me in everything so I could go and perform there. I was welcomed by so many Rwandans who joined me in singing every song that I performed. It was really colorful,” Masamba told The New Times in an interview. “Performing in Uganda after years, on Gen Kainerugaba’s invitation and seeing him dance to every song that I was singing was a really powerful moment that inspired me to give him a gift [an ‘Inkotanyi Cyane’ branded t-shirt] during his birthday celebrations,” he added. It was Masamba’s first performance in Uganda since 2017 but he said going to the country under the invitation of Kainerugaba was good timing and a huge opportunity that he couldn’t take lightly after the Rwandan government facilitated him to make it happen. “It’s been a long time since I last performed in Uganda. I thank the government for making it happen for me to perform again in Uganda, especially at a big occasion like Kainerugaba’s birthday,” he said. Massamba gifted Gen Muhoozi a T-shirt The biggest moment came Sunday when the singer performed at the official dinner of Gen Kainerugaba’s birthday party at the State House Entebbe before both presidents Museveni and Kagame who arrived in Uganda for a private visit. It was the first time the Rwandan leader has been in the neighbouring country in four years. Masamba said performing before the two heads of state was not only a ‘big honor’ for him as a musician but it also signaled that there are hopes that both countries are in the right direction to restore their bilateral ties. “It showed me that things are getting better between both countries,” said the singer who returned Monday morning. Massamba’s performances in Uganda were deeply felt by Kainerugaba who thanked him for making his birthday party special. “I want to thank my new brother, Mr.Massamba Intore, for performing at my birthday events. We all loved their performances. Massambas group was fantastic,” Kainerugaba said in an appreciation tweet. Gen Muhoozi has played an instrumental role in helping Rwanda and Uganda resolve their latest standoff and twice paid highly-publicised visits to Rwanda this year to hold talks with President Kagame. During his second visit mid-March, Muhoozi received a 10-cow gift from Kagame whom he’s referred to as “my uncle”.
