Drama takes centre stage as art finds place in the liberation struggles

A scene from the play, State of the Nation, a Bakayimbira Dramactors and Afri-Talents political production. The play, which had been suspended by the government before being allowed to be staged in 2012, speaks sardonically dramatising what has become of the country from Independence to the Jubilee celebrations. FILE PHOTO 

Music is not the only component of arts that was introduced to Uganda politics. Theatre dramas too became vital in highlighting political shortcomings.

Such drama that talked politics started in schools and were later introduced on stage.

As musicians attempted to test the deep waters of Uganda’s tense political times, playwrights remained undecided.
During former president Idi Amin’s regime, the arts, especially sports and music, thrived but musicians trod carefully.
In fact, Amin had his favourite musicians. Among them was the Africa Go Forward Band, now Afrigo Band.

The Suicide Regiment Band was another of Amin’s favourites. Composed of mostly shabby and shy singers and instrument players, as seen in past videos, the artistes would pluck notes off their instruments in praise of the self-imposed life president.

Worthy of note is that many songs in praise of Amin did not go on record.

How the dramas started
When drama started picking up steam, they were much of a school phenomena. Students would act dramas lifted from works of literature.

Wycliffe Kiyingi would later popularise theatre drama in the early 1960s when he formed a theatre group that comprised locals. Kiyingi’s group, The African Artistes Association, traversed the country acting plays in local language.

Byron Kawadwa of Kampala City Players and Robert Serumaga and his Abafumi Theatre Company, are also celebrated playwrights and directors of the late 1960s and 70s.

Kawadwa had in 1969 accomplished his Amakula ga Kulabako production. The musical drama was successful. With themes of romance, leadership and betrayal, the drama became topical.
Kawadwa gave roles to famous figures in the music industry to further appeal to the public to watch his plays.

In Amakula ga Kulabako, famous musician Eclas Kawalya took up the role of Nyonyintono, the main character.

Wassaanyi Sserukenya wrote music in Kawadwa’s drama, including music in the controversial Oluyimba lwa Wankoko, a 1969 production.

The play begins with a very energetic villager… he was praised all the time. People used to call him ‘our man’.
The villager in Sserukenya’s description is Wankoko, a man that had no significant stature in society except his unbecoming pride and a dangerous seed of betrayal in him.

Sserukenya sings a part of the chorus that became an identifier of the play.

“Wankoko, erinnya lyange nze Wankoko, muyimbe nti nno Wankoko… then all of them [actors] would sing the chorus in unison.”

Another scene in this play featured a musical, again by Sserukenya, called Omuntu Muntu, to mean a human being is simply human.