Artistes Bash Gov’t over Diamond Platnumz Ugx 750M Concert Fee

Several Ugandan artists were left fuming after learning that Diamond Platinumz was paid a whopping Ugx 750M to perform at the Coffee Marathon event that took place in Ntungamo on Saturday 24^th, May,2025.

The artistes said the government’s decision to use the bongo Star to market and promote Uganda’s coffee is an indication that Ugandan artistes aren’t valued when it comes to endorsement deals.

The artistes suggest that Diamond’s performance fee is a sign of extravagance on the side of government and is not in line with the government’s policy of Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU).

Dance hall artiste Ziza Bafana fumed at the event owners over the deal and said that its high time Ugandan artistes fight for their rights because such deals are proof that the local musicians aren’t valued.

“ How can they pay all that money to one foreign artiste yet our artistes were paid less than 10 millions each for performing at the event. This is unacceptable as it is devaluing our artistes and exposing them as people with no value,” he said

He also criticized the expensive red carpet treatment Diamond was given which included being flown with a helicopter from Entebbe International Airport to Ntungamo district.

Allan Toniks, a Ugandan R&B artiste also criticized the move on grounds that the deal would have been given to Ugandan artistes.

“ Its the reason why I have been rejecting some performance deals as they are less than $1000 (3.6M) and when I reject they say that am proud but sometimes am protecting myself from being exploited by promoters,” he said.

Kataleya and Kandle said the deal was a waste of taxpayers money because they don’t see the value of Diamond being paid that huge sum of money to promote coffee.

This is the second time artistes are grumbling over a show deal handed to the Tanzanian super star, the first case was when he was paid Ugx 150 million to perform at the first edition of the Kampala Carnival during the time when Jennifer Musisi was the Executive director of KCCA.