Jackie Chandiru reveals why she left Uganda during battle with Pethidine addiction

Jackie Chandiru said she left Uganda for a while as she underwent rehabilitation following her addiction to pethidine which also led to depression.

Speaking to NBS TV, the songstress said she had been under so much criticism and needed a place where she could psychologically avoid all that. "I just went out because I figured social media was not nice to me at that time and psychologically I was still trying to recover to regain my footing because you know drugs weaken you mentally," said Chandiru. "The social media was not good to me and I knew I was not gonna heal here in Uganda so they decided to take me out of the country."

In 2020, Jackie Chandiru, formerly under Blu*3, was taken to Naguru Hospital and Bunamwaya Rehabilitation Centre for treatment, before she was flown out to Kenya as there was no improvement in her health. She started using pethidine to kill back pain that remained following an accident. The synthetic opioid has a lot of side effects, including oversleeping, euphoria, lightheadedness, sedation, dizziness, sweating, hallucinations, constipation, nausea and vomiting.

After leaving Uganda, she first went to Europe, before moving to Nairobi. She has been clean for four years, according to the interview.

Jackie Chandiru, who went to Lugogo Nursery School, Nakasero Primary School, Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School, Vienna College Namugongo and Makerere University (Industrial Fine Art) -- joined professional music after participating Coca-Cola Popstars where she met Steve Jean, who teamed her up with Lilian Mbabazi and Cindy to form Blu*3 in 2004.