Singer and BET award winner Edirisah Musuuza aka Eddy Kenzo has been unveiled as Uganda’s Tourism Ambassador.
Kenzo was unveiled by the state minister for tourism Godfrey Kiwanda at an event held this afternoon at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.
Kiwanda remarked that the ministry is proud to be associated with a man like Kenzo who sings positively about the country, unlike some singers who portray negativity in their music.
Kiwanda noted that Kenzo’s global profile will help build Uganda’s visibility as a preferred tourist destination.
The minister mentioned that Kenzo had agreed to sign on as ambassador at a time when Uganda needed him the most as the nation and the rest of the world has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that Eddy Kenzo’s music has been instrumental in restoring hope, building confidence and showcasing Uganda’s strength.
Kiwanda revealed that Kenzo’s job will be to blend his music appeal to the beauty of Uganda and encourage both local and international tourists to explore Uganda.
According to the minister, Kenzo’s volunteer task will be to market the tourism sector from four fronts which he identified as the “Tulambule” campaign that creates local awareness of Uganda’s tourism potential and the “Twende” Uganda campaign which increases Uganda’s visibility in the East African region.
The other fronts are the Destination Uganda campaign that seeks to attract tourists from the rest of Africa and the global pearl of Africa campaign.
Kenzo joins a high profile club of Ugandan celebrities that include personalities like Zari and Fabiola.
Kenzo told the audience that he has been a tourism ambassador for Kenya and had helped market Kenys’s tourism sector during which time he traversed nearly every corner of Kenya. He however says he was challenged by one of his fans who questioned his loyalty to his homeland.
Kenzo stated that despite his desire to join the “Tulambule” campaign when it was first launched in August 2016 he was still contractually bound to Kenya. He revealed that as soon as his contract with Kenya expired he was able to call Kiwanda and pledge to volunteer as Uganda’s ambassador for tourism.
He said he got the resolve to perform the role while he was trapped in the Ivory Coast during the COVID-19 lockdown where he was faced with the possibility of dying in a foreign country.
Kenzo pledged to employ his vast network of friends and professionals across the globe to help unlock Uganda’s tourism potential as well as encourage the youth here to embrace their country’s tourism industry.