LOCAL artists and Salax Award winners, Meddy and The Ben have reportedly escaped the country for greener pastures overseas.

Meddy (Medard Ngabo) and The Ben (Ben Mugisha) left the country for the United States of America on July 2, after being invited by the Rwandan International Network Association. They were expected to return on July 28.  

According to an email from Fidelis Mironko, the 1st Secretary at the Rwandan Embassy in Washington, the duo dissappeared after the RINA event, in the US capital.

"The President of RINA (Yohani Kayinamura) initially told me that they (singers) went to Boston to pursue a record deal and that they would return home after. I asked to contact them directly but was told that they don’t have any phones,” the email reads in part, "Right now I’m working with some Rwandans in Boston to see if they can get the singers’ contacts. So far nothing has materialized yet but will continue to find ways to contact them.”

It’s apparent that the singers, who wish to seek fortune abroad, have sank into hot water, because Interpol in collaboration with the Rwandan Embassy in Washington, are busy looking for them, and promised to deport them as soon as they are found. They are both believed to have crossed to Canada.

As their local fans and artists become disillusioned, Lauren Thecle Makuza, the Advisor to the Minister of Sports and Culture has debunked, saying that the singers’ illegal act will not stop the Ministry from supporting local artists, but will instead become more vigilant to this cause. 

"We’re really disappointed with those two artists,” Makuza said. "They had created a name for themselves in the country’s music industry and had earned massive fan bases, then why escape…?”

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