Muhoozi steps in to help actor who played Museveni in 27 Guns

• Arnold Mubangizi, the actor who played President Museveni in the controversial 27 Guns film, has lived a troubled life since its release—facing public discrimination, violent attacks, and deep financial struggles.
• In a recent interview, Mubangizi opened up about his hardships, revealing he was paid only Shs 10M and later suffered rejection and isolation from the film industry. 

The Chief of Defense Forces, CDF, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has commanded that his office provide immediate assistance to Arnold Mubangizi, the actor who portrayed President Museveni in the contentious film, 27 Guns. This movie, produced in 2017 by President Museveni’s daughter, Natasha Museveni Karugire, elicited varied reactions from the public.

Unfortunately for Mubangizi, this marked the beginning of his struggles with discrimination. In an exclusive NTV Uganda interview, the 35-year-old shared the challenges he has faced since the release of the biopic depicting President Museveni’s 1986 NRA bush war that led to his rise to power.

Arnold Mubangizi stated that he was compensated only Shs 10 million for his role. He allocated Shs 2 million to pay the casting director and invested the rest in purchasing a piece of land in Mukono. Regrettably, the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020-21, paralyzing the economy. This was also true for him, and he ended up selling the plot of land and leaving the 700k house he was renting to cover his bills.

Mubangizi also recalled an incident at a football pitch in Kireka where two men assaulted him, attempting to strangle him. He was beaten and left with head injuries, all due to his involvement in the film. This event caused his mother to suffer a stroke, and she is now bedridden with minimal assistance.

The actor mentioned that he has sought regular employment, but whenever he is recognized, the discrimination begins, forcing him to quit.

Additionally, Mubangizi pointed out that no film directors have approached him for roles since the negative reviews the movie received, as they would not risk casting him. Many believe that he is wealthy and either a spy or one of Museveni’s illegitimate children. All these factors have made life challenging for the S.5 dropout who began acting at the age of 16 after his mother, Keloy Kemigisha, introduced him to the craft.

“Life has become incredibly difficult since I appeared in 27 Guns. I received just 10 million shillings, which I used to purchase land that I later sold to cover my mother’s medical expenses. I’ve endured considerable discrimination and struggle to find work because people assume I either have a lot of money, am a spy, or the president’s child from outside,” he expressed.

Moreover, Mubangizi confessed to having contemplated suicide due to the overwhelming pressure he experienced. He attempted to cut his wrists and waited to bleed out, but he survived. However, he has since found solace after accepting Jesus Christ as his personal savior. In his plea for assistance, he reached out to President Museveni, saying he once met him in Ntungamo and was promised a longer meeting, but that has yet to occur.

This video seems to have captured Gen MK’s attention, who expressed concern over how this young man could be enduring such severe poverty. Muhoozi mentioned that before he steps away from X for an extended period, he intended to address this matter.

“Before I turn off the tap for a long time, I must help one last person. The young man who portrayed my father in 27 Guns. I read somewhere that he is suffering. How can that be? I hereby instruct my office to assist him immediately!” The General’s tweet/post stated.

Regrettably, Mubangizi is not the only actor who has faced significant backlash that has affected his life for merely taking on a role in a film.