Musician Bobi Wine who is the president for the National Unity Platform has released a song calling foreign donors to stop funding dictatorial governments and instead channel aid to the population. Titled ‘Don’t Pay our Oppressor, the song was recorded in Uganda while backing tracks were done in South Africa.
In the reggae song, Bobi Wine/Robert Kyagulanyi collaborated with South African economist & writer Dr. Greg Mills and South African singer & poet Robin Auld. The three used music to spread massive message at how aid given to countries instead get used to oppress the citizens.
Inspiration to the song was gotten from Greg Mills’ yet to be published book “Expensive Poverty: Why Aid fails and how it can work.” Where the author spent time studying why Africans continue to be stuck in abject poverty despite USD 1.2 Trillion that have been sent to the continent as foreign aid in the last 3 decades.
While talking about the song, Bobi Wine that foreign aid should be directed at helping citizens but not empowering governments who use it to cling to power.
“Our message in the song is simple: Foreign aid should be directed at uplifting citizens and helping despots to cling to power. We call out the phenomenon og mis-directed aid which often-times help despots more than needy citizens” Bobi Wine said with emphasis.
‘Don’t pay the oppressor man
He is taking everything he can
We’ve got make our own plan
If you wanna help, you know how
If you wanna help, don’t empower his arms
If you wanna help, look at the population’
Are some of the words in the song.
Enjoy the song below