Ugandan singer Ykee Benda has ignited a fierce online debate after comments that many interpreted as justifying the government’s harsh treatment of political dissidents, framing repression as an almost inevitable consequence of challenging a leader shaped by war.

In a heated exchange with followers on social media, the hitmaker said he was applying what he called “logic” to ongoing reports of state violence against opposition figures.

While stressing that he does not support torture and sympathises with victims, Ykee Benda argued that expecting President Yoweri Museveni to relinquish power peacefully ignores the history that brought him to office.

According to the musician, Museveni’s five-year guerrilla war in the early 1980s continues to influence how he responds to perceived threats to his rule. He suggested that a leader who fought through the bush to take power would not easily give it up, adding that many people would likely act the same way if placed in a similar position.

“To speak of the issue of tortured Ugandans, I don’t support that and I sympathise with them all,” Benda wrote. “But I’m logical enough to know that if you want to get what Sevo fought for five years in the bush, he won’t make it easy for you. You wouldn’t do any different if you were in that spot.”

He reinforced his point with a provocative comparison, arguing that human beings are already capable of extreme violence over personal disputes, making struggles for national power even more volatile.

“Men kill other men over sleeping with their wives,” he added. “Imagine having control over a whole country.”

The remarks quickly set social media alight. Critics accused the singer of normalising abuse and excusing state violence, while supporters argued that he was merely describing political reality rather than endorsing it.

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