Kampala, September 15, 2026 — More than 40 members of the Silent Majority Media Team have come out in defence of musician and political mobiliser Moses Ssali, popularly known as Bebe Cool, amid a dispute over outstanding payments following the 2026 presidential campaign.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the group, which represents the overwhelming majority of the team that travelled across the country during President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s campaign, distanced itself from insults, threats and personal attacks directed at Bebe Cool and his family by some members of the team.
The members said they had remained largely silent over the dispute but felt compelled to speak after witnessing what they described as an unfair portrayal of Bebe Cool and his role during the campaign.
“We were there. We shared the dust, the long journeys, the hunger, the exhaustion, the rain and the uncertainty,” the group said.
According to the team, Bebe Cool stood with members during difficult moments of the campaign and provided financial and logistical support beyond the regular facilitation.
The group acknowledged that 23 days of payments remain outstanding, but rejected allegations that Bebe Cool had taken or misappropriated money meant for the team.
The members said Bebe Cool facilitated them at Shs150,000 per day for more than 60 days, while on some days when there was no facilitation, he provided about Shs50,000 per person from his own pocket to help members meet expenses such as food, internet data and accommodation.
They further said Bebe Cool provided equipment, including MiFis and microphones, to enable the team to continue its work.
The group said its field team leader, Abbey Kaddu, had also been providing updates about outstanding payments through their WhatsApp group, with updates issued on June 26, July 1 and August 21, 2026.
According to the statement, Bebe Cool has maintained that the outstanding payments would be cleared once he receives facilitation from President Museveni.
The team said it was therefore unfair to portray the musician as a thief over the unpaid days.
The Silent Majority Media Team also sought to clarify the nature of its relationship with the campaign, saying its members were volunteers rather than formal contractors employed by the National Resistance Movement Secretariat.
They said they participated because they believed in President Museveni, the NRM and the political message they were promoting during the campaign.
The members said they left their homes and families and spent months travelling across Uganda, describing the experience as both a political and personal journey.
They said the team travelled from Luweero, where the journey began on September 30, through areas including West Nile, Karamoja, Kasese, Kabale and Kisoro.
During the tour, the members said they interacted with political leaders, government officials and communities while documenting the campaign and development programmes.
They also cited exposure to programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga as among the experiences they gained during the campaign.
Members reject attacks on Bebe Cool
The group particularly condemned the use of social media platforms, including TikTok, to insult or threaten Bebe Cool and his family.
They argued that disagreements over payments should be handled without resorting to personal attacks.
“You can ask for your money without abusing Bebe Cool. You can demand payment without destroying Bebe Cool’s dignity. We can disagree without becoming enemies,” the group said.
The members also appealed to their colleagues to resolve the dispute without allowing it to destroy relationships built during the campaign.
They said their decision to defend Bebe Cool was not intended to deny the existence of the outstanding payments, but rather to provide what they described as the “whole story” behind the dispute.
“We are not saying the 23 days should be forgotten. We are not saying people should not ask questions. We are simply saying: let us tell the whole story,” the statement reads.
The group concluded by declaring its continued support for President Museveni and the NRM, while expressing solidarity with Bebe Cool.
“More than 40 of us are standing with you… not because anybody has forced us, but because we remember,” they said.
