Who is Ziza Bafana? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, songs, wife, music career, family, early life and education of Richard Kasendwa, a Ugandan singer and songwriter.
Richard Kasendwa alias Ziza Bafana is a Ugandan outstanding artist, songwriter and guitarist. He’s a great performer and a raga dancehall much known for taking the audience by storm.
Ziza Bafana is a name with a meaning. Ziza is a biblical name of the son of Shiphi while in Rwanda Ziza means someone who can advise the president. And Bafana originates from the South African football club, Bafana Bafana.
He got this name in 2012 while in South Africa for a musical trip, he went out with a South African female friend and when he returned, his friends nicknamed him Bafana.
So, Ziza Bafana thought it was a good name for his stage performances given that the name Bafana Bafana means strong youths, and he considers himself to be a strong youth as well.
Ziza Bafana is one dancehall artiste who is original and tries to forge a Jamaican accent in his music. He’s simply original and his music is basically in Luganda language and dancehall at his best.
Early Life and Education
Ziza Bafana was born in 1988 at Bukakata town road, Luvule Village, Masaka District to Ronald Sseruwoza and Noerina Nansikombi, who died in 2013. He left the village for Kampala when he was 9 years old after the death of his parents.
Ziza Bafana attended Bulenge Primary School and he was an ardent member of the school music club as well as a drummer. His drumming talent earned him a five-year scholarship at the school before he joined Kyebando P/S where he sat for his Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
From there, Ziza Bafana was admitted to St. Stephen’s Kyebando Secondary School for his Secondary education. However, he stopped in senior three because there was no one to continue paying school fees for his studies.
Bafana came to Kampala to live under the care of his paternal Aunt in Kyebando, a Kampala suburb. His first trip to Kampala was when his school Bulenge sent him to purchase a school ball and ever since then, he looked forward to staying in Kampala.
So, after the death of his parents, Bafana relocated to Kampala to stay with his Aunt.
Ziza Bafana was a notorious boy during his childhood days.
He ever caused havoc with his noisy bicycle in the village, he narrates. Bafana first came to Kampala when his school Bulenge P/S sent him to buy a ball for the school, and ever since then, he has looked forward to relocating to Kampala.
So, after the death of his parents, he relocated to Kampala to stay with his Paternal Aunt.
Work Experience
Ziza Bafana before joining the music industry worked in the garage his Aunt started for him, repairing motorcycles. Later, he joined his uncle in Masaka City who taught him how to repair motor vehicles.
Ziza Bafana additionally was a farmer dealing in tomato farming and playing the guitar in several churches in Masaka particularly Good News Church where he got saved from and learnt how to play musical instruments, singing in the church choir.
Later, he moved to Kampala and did the same after he dropped out of school.
His music career began from church; Ziza Bafana was a church boy who besides being a guitarist sang in the church choir.
He began composing and writing songs. At first, he wrote Nkoye Obufumbo Cindy’s song while his maiden song was Abakazi Babatulugunya.
Jayo Ntekeyo was Bafana’s biggest hit that shot him to the limelight, but according to Bafana, the government failed to prioritize music in Uganda which is the biggest challenge in the industry.
Music Career
Ziza Bafana began singing professionally in 2011 and has never turned back with his outstanding dancehall music genre. He raps incomprehensible lyrics in Jamaican Patois.
Ziza Bafana’s music video is usually characterized by skimpily-dressed girls whose dance moves are quite related to the ones in Jamaican songs which excite a lot of Ugandans.
Ziza Bafana once belonged to the now-defunct Back 2 Life group alongside Yiya Moze before going solo again. He was a solo musician before Back 2 Life.
Through his music performances, Ziza Bafana has managed to travel around the globe; he has been to various countries including Turkey, South Sudan, South Africa, Sweden, Amsterdam in Netherlands and United Kingdom.
Bafana’s original dream is to uplift Ugandan music to the international platforms with his Jamaican patois.
According to him, his talent is God-given and his source of livelihood, and for his dance moves, Bafana says its art and performance to make his musical work interesting to his fans.
He began singing in 2008 and his very first song was ‘Ayamba’, a gospel song praising God for His Grace produced by Samuel Jehu, a music producer introduced to him by a friend, then ‘Tebakulimba’ he sang with Yiya Moze before they parted ways.
The two have quite a several musical works and according to Zizia Bafana, their separation was deserved because Yiya Mozy wasn’t serious and he was a selfish man as well.
However, before starting professional singing, Ziza Bafana was a dancer in church; he performed gospel crusades as well gospel music.
After some time his good friend Mark Africa Kirwana advised him to do secular music because his voice is best for that, and that’s how he became a secular musician.
Songs
- Embuzi
- Gyayo Ntekeyo
- Pomin Pomin
- Friendly Match
- Mpeke
- Mbabanja
- Balyaamu Kirye
- Ensonga
- Tubiddemu
- Abantu baffe Batufitina
- Byagana
- Tebakulimba
- Namagalo
- Akalulu
- Batutunze
- Mavunga
- Jacker
- Kankunune
- Among others
Collaborations
- Omutima Mugumu ft. Eddy Kenzo and David Lutalo
- Togenda ft. Yiya Moze
- Namagalo ft. Yiya Moze
- Tebakulimba ft. Yiya Moze
- Friendly Match ft. Zani Brown
- Abantu Baffe ft King Saha
- Proud to Be African ft. Jose Chameleon
- Friendly Match ft. Zani Brown
- Abantu Baffee ft. King Saha
- Mugumu ft. Eddy Kenzo
- Proud to be African ft. Dr Jose Chameleone
- Others with Aziz Azion, Jackie Chandiru, Michael holly
Awards
- Ziza Bafana won the Zzina Awards three times
- HiPiPo Awards, also three times
- Two times winner of the Rising Star Award
- He also won the Best of the Best Awards
Other Responsibilities
- MTN Smart Series Brand Ambassadorial in 2015
Religious Affiliation
- Ziza Bafana is a Born Again Christian
Family
Ziza Bafana broke up with the wife, mother of his first child Vanessa and now he cohabits with a woman named Irene with whom they have a child.
