Balaam Barugahara, the Minister of State for Youth and Children, has clarified the purpose of his meeting with singer Fik Gaza, responding to accusations that he bribed the artist to switch political allegiance. In a recent press conference, Balaam addressed the social media buzz sparked by videos of him and Gaza having an engaging discussion at his office.
The controversy erupted when some National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters claimed that Fik Gaza had been bribed with a substantial sum of money to join the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). However, Balaam refuted these allegations, stating that the purpose of Gaza’s visit was not related to political manipulation but rather to discuss matters concerning the ghetto youth and potential police actions.
According to Balaam, Gaza expressed concerns about the arrests of innocent youths in the ghetto and sought his assistance in securing educational materials for school children. Balaam explained that he personally offered Gaza Ugx. 3 million to support the purchase of scholastic materials for students, a gesture he clarified was his personal contribution, not a bribe.
“Those who say I gave him money are wrong. He is a hardworking individual, and the little money I gave him for the children’s books is far less than what I pay him when booking him for a show. I can’t bribe him with such small amounts to join NRM,” Balaam said, urging Gaza to remain in his party, NUP, if that was his choice.