Mesach Semakula is without doubt an all-round entertainer.
While he did not attempt to play any instruments at his concert My Journey Totya Bigambo last Friday at Hotel Africana, he made sure he sings live through.
But it is his dancing style that took many by surprise. First he took on the queen dancers. Then members of Parliament led by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga came on stage and he did a proper paka chini with the speaker all the way.
Kadaga was almost beaten to her signature dance move. But hell broke lose when Annet Nandujja and her dancers took to the stage as Mesach performed Njagala Nyimbire Omutanda.
A sash is all he needed to take on one of Uganda’s most prolific traditional dancers. The main stage was not enough; so, the two moved to the extension hanging over the swimming pool.
With all that energy, it was feared the wooden planks would give way and send the two for an unplanned swim. Luckily they held on till the end.
The thunderous round of applause was in order.
Angella Katatumba channels Nyakayojo
Star Trail has renewed respect for Angella Katatumba, who lost her best friend and dad, Boney Katatumba, to cancer the other week. But Angella’s strength and handling grieving with grace is not all that blew Star Trail away, but her ability to carry around personalities appropriate for any occasion.
Many who know the songstress-turned-charity worker know her for her American accent, thanks to her education and early career in the USA.
So, you can imagine Star Trail’s shock on bumping into Angella last Saturday at Java’s in Kamwokya, speaking English like a village belle straight off a bus from Nyakayojo, Mbarara.
Wearing a pink tracksuit and big shades in the company of what appeared to be close family members, Angella walked to the popular coffee house loudly rolling her R’s multiple times and with the tongue sounding double-heavy, typical Kinyankore style, complete with a high-pitched voice.
Star Trail and her date did a double take, turned to make sure they were not seeing things, and indeed it was the Katatumba girl in full village mode.
Maybe she had just returned from the village burial. Still, wow! A career in theatre would be so successful.
Saudi king gives lessons in luxury travel
The King of Saudi Arabia certainly knows how to travel in style. In the first visit by a Saudi ruler in almost half a century, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud arrived in Indonesia last Wednesday for a nine-day tour of the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
He spent a few days in Jakarta and West Java before heading to the popular tourist island of Bali on a month-long Asia tour that includes Malaysia, China, Japan and the Maldives.
And he is not traveling light. Adji Gunawan, the president of airport services company PT Jasa Angkasa Semestar, said the king will be traveling with 459 tonnes of luggage, approximately 505 US tons.
For anyone struggling to wrap their heads around how that compares to your more traditional 40 pound luggage allowance, the African elephant weighs between 2.5 and seven US tons.
So take your oversized suitcase, and replace it with 200 of the world’s largest land-based animals. His luggage includes two Mercedes-Benz S600 and two free-standing electric elevators.
This is not the first time the lavish leader has traveled with an elevator. In 2015, the king’s installation of an elevator on a beach in France caused outcry.
The king also comes with an epic entourage of no less than 1,500 people including ministers, delegates and 25 princes who traveled to Indonesia in 36 different flights over three weeks.
DJ Crisio bows out
After seven years in Uganda, four of which were spent as a deejay, Christopher Van Dogen aka DJ Crisio has decided to return to his home country Netherlands.
A farewell party was thrown for him at Panamera bar and lounge last Saturday evening. Revellers turned up in big numbers to toast to the expatriate DJ who has made them dance in clubs and at shows such as Sauti Sol and Neyo’s.
Crisio, who has also been the general manager of Talent Africa, said when he came to Kampala in 2010, he had come as a researcher and was supposed to stay for a month. The rest is history.
“The amazing Kampala nightlife got me hooked and I thus made the decision to stay here longer. I have to admit I will miss the Kampala nightlife. I will be coming back from time to time,” he said.
“I have been in Uganda for the past seven years and I must say I have enjoyed my time here. I am married to a Ugandan lady and I would like my children to experience the opportunities available back in the Netherlands.”
Many spoke about the departing DJ including UBL’s Edgar Birungi, who said it was sad Crisio was departing when the party was just getting started.
