People with disabilities protest against ‘offensive song’

There has been growing controversy between the organizations of people with disabilities and local musician Kitoko Bibarwa over his latest song ‘Ikiragi’ which they claim is offensive and stigmatises them. But the people with disabilities are taking their complaints to another level by writing to the Minister of Information to have the song officially banned. In initial attempt, organisations of people with disabilities made phone calls to media personnel and particularly those working in radio stations in order to make the song unpopular by denying it airplay. Dominique Bizimana, President of the National Paralympic Committee, an organization in the forefront of the cause for PWD countrywide confirmed that the next step is to officially present the matter to the Minister of Information. Bizimana said that writing to the Minister follows unsuccessful talks with the musician to get him to change the “disrespectful” words in the song. He stressed that their grievance was not with the entire song but the word ‘Ikiragi’ that refer to a deaf and dumb person which he said the musician uses ‘casually.’ David Baingana, a presenter with Voice of Africa confirmed that they had received the phone calls and had stopped playing the song. The station has however not been issued with any official document requesting them to stop playing the song. In a phone interview, Kitoko denied having talked to any official from the organization of people with disabilities.The present controversy poses a threat to the musician’s previous popularity. Ends

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People with disabilities protest against ‘offensive song’