They intimidated opponents, copied by hundreds of sub-urban poor youth and upcoming musicians.
It was a case of hair today and gone tomorrow for the Ghetto President who had his dreadlocks cut off after growing them for 20 years – but it was all for a good cause.
But Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert also known as Bobi Wine’s trademark long dreadlocks are no more.
He revealed his newly-shorn on Sunday after winning the Teeniez Preferred Icon of Expression at 2017 Buzz Teens Awards.
“It is an honour to know that the young generation looks up to me as their icon of freedom of expression,” Bobi Wine said. “Thank you young people. I believe in you too and Uganda looks up to you.”
Of late, his music and social affiliations have been preparing the public, especially his core base – the urban poor youth – for such a declaration. Kyagulanyi’s transformation from a laid back youth, spotting dreadlocks and posing for pictures with a marijuana joint to a serious young man spotting a clean haircut and suit, has played out in the public eye.
As the ‘president’ of Uganja, Kyagulanyi cut a characteristic image – clean but unkempt, spiky dreadlocks, and red-glazed eyes.
Expectedly, the aesthetic shift comes ahead of Bobi Wine’s forthcoming involvement in the Kyadondo East constituency byelection scheduled for June 26. The seat fell vacant after both the Court of Appeal and the lower High Court nullified the election of Mr Apollo Kantinti on grounds that the Electoral Commission did not comply with electoral laws.
Both courts ordered the electoral body to organise fresh elections in the constituency. Mr William Sitenda Sebalu who was the runner up in the February 18, 2016 election and lost to Mr Kantinti by a margin of 326 votes successfully petitioned in both courts.
Bobi Wine, who is likely to stand as an independent but as an Independent candidate, Kyagulanyi will not have party structures at his disposal to canvas for votes and protect them.
Nominations are slated for May 30 and 31 while campaigns start on June 2 to June 23.
