KAMPALA – Uganda’s music legend, Joseph Mayanja, popularly known as Chameleone, is reportedly embroiled in a bitter pay dispute with organizers after performing at the high-profile National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto launch last week in Munyonyo.
According to sources close to the artist, Chameleone is “cursing” fellow artists Eddy Kenzo and Bebecool, believing the payment structure was unfair, after he allegedly pocketed only Sh5 million for his performance. The “Shida Za Dunia” hitmaker had expected a “fat envelope” of at least Sh50 million for gracing the event.
The NRM manifesto launch, which outlined President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s plans for the 2026-2031 term, was a star-studded affair attended by the country’s political elite. Sources indicate that Chameleone felt his performance significantly spiced up the event and warranted a much larger payment, commensurate with its prestige and the affluent audience.
“He is furious,” revealed a source familiar with the matter. “He went there, gave a stellar performance for that political crowd, and felt his brand added immense value to the launch. To be handed what he considers a paltry sum has left him fuming.”
The artist has since vowed to “follow up the matter” to ascertain if his agreed-upon fee was allegedly chopped by anyone along the payment chain. This dispute highlights the often-opaque nature of payment for artists at political functions and has sparked a fresh conversation about the valuation of artistic performance in such contexts.
As of now, there has been no official comment from the NRM secretariat or the other artists mentioned regarding the payment allegations.
