Alpha slams Tusker Project Fame organisers

Rwanda’s Tusker Project Fame season three (TPF3) winner, Alpha Rwirangira, has denounced the show’s organisers, the East African Breweries Limited (EABL), accusing them of, allegedly, not fulfilling some of their promises and abandoning past winners.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Alpha Rwirangira.

Rwanda’s Tusker Project Fame season three (TPF3) winner, Alpha Rwirangira, has denounced the show’s organisers, the East African Breweries Limited (EABL), accusing them of, allegedly, not fulfilling some of their promises and abandoning past winners. Commenting on his Facebook page, yesterday, Rwirangira said that none of the former TPF winners has signed a recording deal with Universal Music Group from South Africa, a package the region’s largest brewers had promised. The Afrobeat sensation cited Kenya’s TPF1 winner Valerie Kimani, TPF 2 winner Esther Nabaasa from Uganda and TPF 4’s Davis Ntare of Uganda as some of those affected."The Tusker Company makes a lot of money from the Project Fame music competition, but it doesn’t support the winners in return,” said the furious Rwirangira. "Most of the former TPF winners are still struggling to make a name in the music industry, and chasing the recording (deal), which is supposed to be included in the package that is given to the winner of the competition.” The disenchanted former TPF winner added that he received no support from EABL when he organised the end of year concert dubbed, "Alpha band with Families,” although a few of the former TPF contestants and Tusker Project Fame’s Judge Ian Mbugua did participate. "They always promise to support such events but only to let you down at the last minute,” Rwirangira irately said. "When I organised the concert, I appealed for EABL’s support and had anticipated for big support from them, but in the end, they disappointed me. Luckily, other companies supported the concert.”Efforts to reach the show’s organisers for comment were futile as their phone were not accessible by press-time.  The "Songa Mbere” award-winning star has released a new single titled, "I swear,” produced by Black Hole Production in the U.S.A.Rwirangira is scheduled to organise a big concert in Rwanda during the Christmas season.