Bralirwa reassures public of transparency in music contest

After rumours began to circulate on social media networks over alleged foul play in the Primus Guma Guma Superstar Season Two (PGGSS 2) competition amid reports of vote leakage, its organisers, Bralirwa Ltd, on Monday evening, reassured the public that the competition has been and will continue to be transparent.Speaking at a well attended news conference in Kigali on Monday evening, Joseph Mushyoma, the chief executive of the East African Promoters (EAP), a firm co-partnering with Bralirwa in the event, said the briefing was aimed at allaying fears among Rwandans of any foul play.The Brand Manager of Primus and Heineken, Jean Pierre Uwizeye, also termed the allegations as ‘rumours’. It is alleged that the three contestants, who were eliminated from the competition last weekend, got wind of information on the outcome before it was officially made public. These are Riderman, Urban Boyz and Dream Boyz. “These are just mere rumours with no evidence. I think fans are in love with some contestants, but reluctant when it comes to voting for them,” Uwizeye told The New Times.Uwizeye also apologised to Rwandans because the show has never aired live on Rwanda television: “On our first elimination show Orinfor had technical issues but we hope that the transmitter will be installed in time at the grounds on Saturday.”The manager of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Samuel Kariuki, the auditing firm responsible for receiving, compiling and verifying the results of votes for the contestants from their supporters through SMS and Internet, said that apart from him and his assistant, no one else has access to the information.PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global auditing firm operating in Rwanda.“As a professional firm, we operate or work in respect to the international standards, and not even Bralirwa or East African Promoters can get any information as regards to winners or those to be eliminated before the right time comes,” said Kariuki.“I want to assure the Rwandan public that the vote that you cast sits somewhere on the front-end where PwC can be able to see,” he said.“Bralirwa and EAP have absolutely no connections with the voting. They get to know the results of the contestants – those who have been eliminated or saved just like anyone else when the results are announced to the public. Before that, they know nothing!”“Our responsibility is to capture the votes but we don’t decide on who to go and who to remain. It’s 100 percent based on public voting, unlike in other music competitions, where judges decide on which contest to go or remain. The Primus Guma Guma Superstar is only based on the public voting,” added Kariuki. The news conference was attended by the remaining four contestants, King James, Knowless, Jay Polly and Young Grace, whose credence was marred by doubts over the manner some of them get their support.During the event, the contestants requested journalists to help them to speak out the truth about the competition, after many received insults and threats on radio stations.“People claim that I bought out the competition and accuse my mother for giving people M2U to vote for me,” said Young Grace, while struggling to hold back tears. “That isn’t true. My mother can never do such a thing. She probably requests her friends to vote for her daughter but she hasn’t bought anyone M2U to vote for me.”Jay Polly, who according to the results revealed by PwC during the press conference, narrowly survived the boot last Saturday, admitted that people had accused some contestants of giving people M2U to vote for them. The rapper urged Bralirwa and the East African Promoters to investigate the claims and mete out punishment to those guilty.“I’ve never bought anyone airtime to vote for me. I simply go on radio and literally cry for people to vote for me and I’m glad they’re so supportive,” said King James.This year’s Primus Guma Guma Superstar winner will walk away with Rwf24 million.

Leisure

Bralirwa reassures public of transparency in music contest