The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has banned the youngest rapper in Uganda from performing in bars and for commercial purposes but has however gave him permission to sing after classes, over the weekends and during holidays.
The ministry said keeping Fresh Kid in bars violates his rights as a child and he risks being harmed and learning strange behaviours.
Patrick Senyonjo aka Fresh Kid in the company of his parents and his managers yesterday had a conversation with Youth State minister Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi at the Ministry of Gender headquarters in Kampala.
When journalists started taking photographs at the meeting, the minister and Permanent Secretary, Mr Pius Bigirimana, ushered him into another room which according Mr Shafique Butanda, the Principal Probation officer, was meant to protect him from psychological harm.
According to Daily Monitor, Mr Bigirimana said they guided Fresh Kid and his manager about how to develop his talent without losing his rights.
“We told them about the Children’s Act, 2018, which talks about the right to survival, nutrition and good health, protection from any form of violence, the right to development and the right to go to school,” he said as quoted by the Daily Monitor.
Mr Bigirimana said government has no problem with the seven-year-old on stage but everything should be done in recognition of his other rights.
Meanwhile, the ministry has attached a social worker to work with Fresh Kid’s manager and parents to ensure that his rights as a child are not violated.
Ms Nakiwala said they summoned Fresh Kid’s parents and his manager to enlighten them about when he goes to school and whether his school schedules are not interrupted.
Said to come from a very poor family background where his two parents survive on roasting maize. Fresh Kid hit the music scene five months back and has been creating buzz on social media lately. The young star has a total of 4 songs and one music video so far.
Fresh Kid is said to have been identified as a potential musician by his manager Francis while performing in one of the bars in Luweero district. It is in the same district that he studied in a rural government owned primary school in Primary One last year before he relocated to Kampala.
He is reported to have been enrolled in Primary Two at St Agnes Primary School Kawanda where he reportedly studies during week days and performs on music shows at night and weekends.
