If you are below the age of 18 and are aspiring to make it big in Uganda’s entertainment industry, you’re in for a surprise. This is the case for Fresh Kid, a Ugandan child rapper hose real name is Patrick Ssenyonjo.
The lad has been old by the Youth minister to stop doing music or get arrested. Speaking to Uganda’s NBS channel, Youth minister Florence Nakiwala has made it clear that the seven-year-old should quit rapping and go to school full time, or face the consequence of being taken to a juvenile prison.
This is after allegations that Fresh kid was not attending school and could perform late at night while his age mates were studying, a move the Youth minister describes as child labour.
“The constitution clearly states that no one under the age of 18 is allowed to work therefore Fresh kid should not be working rather be in school. Anyone found aiding his music career will have to face the law as well,” she said
Francis Kamoga, Fresh kid’s manager however refuted the claims stating that the seven-year-old was indeed attending school. Speaking to BBC, Francis says Fresh kid only performs over the weekend and does not get paid for it therefore is not considered to be working.
“I discovered him in a rural village miming some songs, brought him to the city and started paying his school fees” Francis explained.