On Thursday June 28, a by-election was held in the Kyadondo East constituency in Wakiso District.

It was yet another face-off between the ruling NRM party and the main opposition party, the FDC.

The seat was declared vacant after FDC’s Apollo Kantinti was disqualified by a court ruling.

One of the novelty candidates was the dancehall singer Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, aka Bobi Wine.

Even though most of his followers are the city’s riff-raff who are not registered voters, singer Bobi Wine had won about 77.7 percentage of the ballots count to himself when the final vote count was tallied.

His victory was so obvious hence one-sided across all polling areas that it almost came with a feeling of anti-climax.

Bobi Wine’s campaign is reported to have been advised by a Kampala-based Canadian public relations consultant, Anne Whitehead.

Bobi Wine had not only been claiming to speak on behalf of the frustrated and unemployed youth, he often dresses and behaves like them, walking through the streets of Kampala in slippers and buying “rolex” and “kikomando” snacks sold by the roadside. His recording studio at Kamwokya also has that rundown, slum area look.

Bobi Wine’s victory will definitely change the orientation and dismissive attitude of Ugandan political analysts toward sportsmen, musicians, comedians and others in the entertainment industry.