The Sunday News
Raisedon Baya Arts Focus
LAST week I wrote about Tuku and the supposedly official biography that Shepherd Mutamba is writing about the music legend, excerpts of which are already being serialised in one national paper. The serialisation is taking place even when the book itself is not yet finished.In my article last week I wondered why all of a sudden, Tuku, who had all along been secretive about his personal life decided to allow the writing of a book that sought to expose the very episodes of his life he had been so uncomfortable to talk about. Anyway, Tuku himself, through his Tuku Music label, finally responded to the book and the accusations in the pages that have so far been made public. In short the old man says he did not approve the book project and is hurt and feels betrayed.
Here is Tuku’s response verbatim:
“I have been reading with great dismay the excerpts from a so-called ‘biography’ of me by Shepherd Mutamba who used to work with Tuku Music as a documenter for our website and other publicity materials.
About two years ago Mutamba came to me and told me that while he was working for us he has been simultaneously writing a “biography” about me, and wanted to publish it. I was taken aback as he had never mentioned this to me before, but I said to him that if he was going to publish a book based on intimate information he acquired in confidence, during conversations with members of my family and team, he needed to give it to me first. He agreed to this and said he would bring the manuscript to me when it was ready.
Shortly afterwards he started becoming more and more distant and then announced to us that he wanted to take a year “sabbatical” to study and write exams. We agreed happily and that was the last we saw of him. We invited him to several Tuku Music events, including our tribute dinner at the Rainbow Towers last year but he did not respond. Then two weeks ago I started reading with utter amazement the excerpts from his “biography” that the Daily News started to print. I felt betrayed by a man I had trusted so much and brought into my inner circle.
As a man, I am not perfect. I have my strengths and weaknesses, like everyone else, but why would anyone write a book, which from what I have read so far has many made up “facts”, half truths and false interpretations of my life? Why would someone who was warmly welcomed into our camp and treated with great respect want to pull me down like this? Everything about the book that I have seen so far is an attack on me. Nothing positive at all. Is that Mutamba’s summary of who I am as a man?
You can imagine the distress that this has caused my family. If he wanted to pull me down, why attack my family too? We are currently consulting with our lawyers on the action to take but we are moving on the vision as Tuku Music and won’t let these recent developments slow us down.’’
Some questions follow this response? Is Tuku really a victim? Did Shepherd Mutamba go to work for Tuku so as to get closer to him and then write a juicy story that could sell well? What can Tuku’s lawyers do? Can they stop the writing and publication of the book? What is more painful to the old man? Is it the betrayal by a friend or the “truths” coming out.
This is one drama I would want to see to the end.
