Police ban musician gangs after Pallaso-Alien Skin saga

Kampala, (UG):- The Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) Monday announced a ban on Ugandan artistes restricting them from moving with more than five people to and from venues where they are booked to perform.

This follows violent clashes which occurred last week on New Year’s Day between rival gangs led by musicians Pius Mayanja, popularly known as Pallaso, and Patrick Mulwana, alias Alien Skin.

While addressing the media on Monday, January 6, 2025, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Mr Patrick Onyango said the KMP together with the joint security team do not want to see any artiste moving with a group of youths who are hooligans or whose intentions is to cause havoc.

“The resolution is that musicians are supposed to move with a few selected people, and not 10 or 20 as a gang. They have resolved that no artiste will be allowed to move with more than five people in his or her group. If police gets you with more than five people, they will be screened and the rest be detained,” Onyango stated on Monday.

The five authorized individuals according to Onyango include the artiste’s manager, his DJ, secretary, treasurer, and his bodyguard for security.

The Police ban comes just days after event organizers and music promoters in Uganda imposed a 90-day ban on artistes with established gangs over unending violence and chaos at concerts.

The Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara aka Balaam speaking on behalf of the promoters said the decision they took is to allow security to dismantle those gangs and allow proper music.

“Music should be uniting, regardless the different political affiliation you belong to. Music should not be used to destroy property, people’s homes, cars and grabbing other people’s mobile phones,” he said.

Barugahara also dismissed claims that Alien Skin was being promoted by the NRM government to counter musician-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi saying it [government] has no interest in criminals as its supporters.

“The president I believe in, has arrested colleague ministers who committed crimes previously and remanded them to Luzira Prison. The president cannot hire Alien Skin or Pallaso to go and terrorize revellers at Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s end-of-year bash,” he said. “It is not true that government hired Alien Skin to destabilize or counter NUP.”

The war between Pallaso and Alien Skin

According to police reports, the conflict began when Alien Skin and Pallaso had a disagreement during a performance in Buloba, Wakiso District. Police said in a January 2 statement that while at the concert, Alien Skin’s gang attempted to prevent Pallaso from performing.

“After Pallaso took the stage and made jibes at Alien Skin, he was attacked by Alien Skin’s gang. This sparked retaliation from Pallaso’s group,” Onyango said.

In retaliation, Pallaso’s gang, armed with pangas, axes, hammers, and stones, launched two separate attacks on Alien Skin’s residence on January 2, 2025.

The first attack at Alien Skin’s residence occurred around 3 a.m. and was repelled by officers from the Makindye Police Station. However, a second attack at 9 a.m. caused extensive property damage, including shattered windows of three houses and five vehicles.

Police said cash totalling Shs6 million was reportedly stolen, and two victims identified as Joseph Nyanzi, Julius Mugabi and one Becker are currently receiving treatment at Mengo Hospital.

“The destruction was extensive, with five motor vehicles having shattered windshields and damaged lights, three houses with shattered glass, and cash amounting to Shs6 million stolen. Two victims are currently receiving treatment at Mengo Hospital,” Onyango said.

Onyango further dismissed claims that police sideline with Artist Alien Skin. “As police, we don’t sideline with anybody. Whoever commits the crime, we investigate and action taken,” he emphasized adding if Police was sidelining with Alien Skin, they should not have arrested him and taken him to Luzira Prison.