Singer Edirisa Musuuza, aka Eddy Kenzo, revealed that he never wanted to publicly disclose his father to avoid critics attributing his success to him.
In an interview with Sanyuka TV, Kenzo explained that he learned Chefe Ali was his father a long time ago. However, he didn't pursue it because he was focused on his music career. Over time, he began meeting relatives from his father's side, and they started building a relationship.
Kenzo also said that he has built his own name through his music career, so reconnecting with his paternal relatives was not a priority.
On Friday, President Yoweri Museveni made a surprise revelation, announcing that Chefe Ali, a high-ranking commander in the National Resistance Army (NRA) and later the UPDF, was Kenzo's biological father. This disclosure came during the launch of the Yoweri Music Album, a compilation of songs from UNMF, producers, and songwriters across the country.
For years, Kenzo's fans knew Hassan Ssenyange, who passed away in 2012, as his father, as he had introduced him to them.
Before his death in 1999, Chefe Ali, whose real name was Eriya Mwine, served as the UPDF’s Chief of Staff and commanded different divisions.
At the launch of the Yoweri Music Album, Museveni revealed, "Kenzo is a son of a soldier. He told me he is the son of Chefe Ali." The president then asked Kenzo if he had made this information public or was still keeping it private. He also noted the resemblance between Kenzo and the late Chefe Ali’s other children.
In 2015, Eddy Kenzo first spoke about his family in an interview with NTV, revealing that his father was the late Hassan Ssenyange. The singer shared how his family once experienced homelessness, with his father spending two years sleeping under a tree. Kenzo also mentioned that his biological mother passed away when he was around five years old.
