Political Sergeant Bobi Wine names Tony Houls his music producer to succeed Senior Politician Gen Mukaku. Whisper Eye Reports
National Unity Platform (NUP) president and supreme leader political Sargeant Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu popularly known as Bobi Wine has named his personal music producer Bikumbi Tonny locally known as Tony Houls new Elections Management Commission boss after sacking senior politician Gen Samuel Walter Lubega Mukaaku.
For the last decade Tony Houls has been at the centre of music recording at Kamwokya-based Fire Recordz (home to Bobi Wine and the Firebase crew).
Where he has been the brains behind some of the biggest Ugandan hits over the last ten years as the producer.
Growing up in Kasubi near Pastor Steven Ssozi’s heritage revival church, Bikumbi was lucky that the church’s music instruments were kept at the pastor’s home.
“I quickly learnt how to play the guitar and keyboard and I was admitted into the church choir as one of the instrumentalists. I later started getting involved in [the] production of several church songs.
This gave me the experience that I was later going to use for commercial purposes,” Mr Houls recalls.
In the late 1990s Bobi Wine’s elder brother Eddy Yawe spotted Bikumbi and offered to partner with him and collaborate on some music production.
“Mr Yawe, who was staying in America then, offered to buy all the necessary equipment to start a good recording studio,” Mr Bikumbi explains.
In the early 2000s, while Uganda’s music was seriously taking off, Bikumbi and Yawe started the Dream studios, where he (Bikumbi) stayed until he joined Fire Recordz in 2009.
The studio started in high gear, producing hits like Owomukwano Nakkazi by Bobi Wine, Ssunda by Bobi Wine/Zigy Dee and Funtula by now the two rival musicians Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine.
Mr Bikumbi holds a diploma in Computer Engineering.
Bikumbi told Whisper Eye news that creating good music has always been his goal in life.
For this reason, the locally popular music producer went ahead to study a course in music production to further his career.
“I have been inspired by two people, Silver Kyagulanyi for his special character and Tom Musoke who was a keyboard specialist and I vied to be like him one day,” says Toney Houls.
“I spend most of my free time with my family. I also produce music for my wife Joy Bikumbi – a gospel artiste at Glory of Christ Church in Kawaala.” he said.
Bikumbi loves detective movies, which take up most of his time away from music.
The new Elections Management Commission boss of NUP said he never think of joining politics before Mr Wine was elected MP for Kyadondo East.
On the appointment, Tony Houls promised to serve his party to the best of his knowledge and expectations.
