President Yoweri Museveni shocked guests at Speke Resort Munyonyo on Saturday night when he revealed that award-winning singer Eddy Kenzo is the son of Chief Ali, a former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) who served between 1996 and 1998.
The President, who attended the launch of Kenzo’s The Yoweri Album with the First Lady, praised the singer for his contribution to Uganda’s music industry before turning his speech personal.
“Eddy Kenzo is the son of a soldier,” Museveni declared. “Did you tell them, or you wanted to keep it a secret? Where are the other children of Chief Ali, stand up. Even they look alike.”
The revelation, the first of its kind, immediately stirred murmurs in the hall as many wondered why Kenzo had never spoken about his father’s identity and military past.
Kenzo, born Edrisah Musuuza, has long told his story of hardship — losing his mother while still young, living on the streets, and struggling to survive before music gave him a way out. He has rarely spoken about his father, only saying he received little support growing up. Museveni’s words now place Kenzo in a different light: not just a boy from the streets, but the son of a man who once held Uganda’s highest military office.
Chief Ali, remembered as one of the historical bush war fighters, served as Chief of Defence Forces of the UPDF from 1996 to 1998. In that role, he was the army’s top commander during a sensitive period of Uganda’s security history. Although his name has been quiet in public discourse in recent years, Museveni’s revelation has reintroduced him into national conversation — this time through his famous son.
Within hours, social media was buzzing. Some fans called the disclosure proof that Kenzo carries “the blood of the struggle,” while others expressed shock, noting that the singer had never shared this part of his background. At Munyonyo, the reaction was mixed — part surprise, part pride. “We’ve always admired Kenzo for surviving the streets. Now we know he also carries a soldier’s blood,” one guest whispered after Museveni’s speech.
For years, Kenzo has been seen as a symbol of resilience — the street boy who rose to international fame, winning a BET Award and later becoming Uganda’s first-ever Grammy nominee. Museveni’s statement now adds a fresh chapter to that story: the superstar as the son of a former CDF.
Neither Kenzo nor his management has issued a statement about the revelation, but the President’s words have already written a new and surprising page in Uganda’s cultural and political history.
