Legal Tussle Erupts Over Ownership of “Alien Skin” Trademark
KAMPALA, UGANDA – A high-stakes legal battle is unfolding between musician Patrick Mulwana, popularly known as Alien Skin, and his record label, Fangone Forest Entertainment Ltd, over the ownership of the lucrative stage name and brand.
The dispute, currently before the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), has escalated with a recent court notice giving Alien Skin a 42-day ultimatum to file evidence supporting his claim or forfeit his opposition.
The conflict began when Fangone Forest Entertainment Ltd, represented by its director Agumiikiriza Aguma Aaron, applied to formally register the trademark “ALIEN SKIN” in Class 41, which covers music production, concerts, and video services.
In response, through his lawyers Mugabi, Shyaka & Co. Advocates, Alien Skin filed a “Notice of Opposition” in August 2023. He argued that he has prior use of the name and an unregistered mark for four years, building significant goodwill and reputation. The opposition also alleged that the company’s actions are a “misrepresentation… likely to lead to confusion,” making the public believe the company itself produces his music.
However, the label has fiercely countered this claim. In an affidavit, Director Agumiikiriza Aguma Aaron states that he has been in the production business since 2011—long before Alien Skin’s rise to fame—and has produced over 200 projects for more than 50 clients.
“I swear this affidavit as part of the grounds… to secure the progress of our business relations in more than a decade and survival of our labored efforts,” Aaron declared, framing the trademark application as a move to protect a “laboured brand put up in more than a decade but being jeopardized in just 2 years.”
The core of the legal and public dilemma is the timing of the company’s registration. As highlighted in the public update, “The label name Fangone Forest Entertainment Ltd was registered and trademarked under businessman Agumiikiriza Aguma Aaron, according to URSB even though he acquired this after Alien Skins career had kicked off.”
This point is critical: while Aaron claims over a decade in business, the legal entity now claiming the “Alien Skin” trademark was formally registered around the time the artist’s career began to soar, placing his brand identity under corporate control.
In a notice dated October 15, 2025, the URSB confirmed that Fangone Forest has filed a counter-statement, and Alien Skin now has until late November to submit his evidence. Failure to do so will result in his opposition being considered abandoned, potentially granting the company full legal ownership of the “Alien Skin” trademark.
The case has sparked a broader conversation within Uganda’s creative industry, leading many to ask a crucial question: Do you own your business name? The outcome of this legal fight will have significant implications for artists and their control over their personal brands in the commercial landscape.
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