Biography:
Ziza Bafana, born Richard Kasendwa is a Ugandan artist, songwriter and guitarist. Ziza Bafana was born in 1988 at Bukakata town road, Luvule Village, Masaka District. He was born to Ronald Sseruwoza and Noerina Nansikombi, who both died in 2013. He left the village for Kampala when he was 9 years old after the death of his parents. When in Kampala, he lived with his paternal aunt.
Ziza Bafana attended Bulenge Primary School and he was a very active member of the school music club as well as a drummer. His drumming talent earned him a five-year scholarship at the school. He later however 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 and yet he was low on finances.
Ziza Bafana before joining the music industry worked in the garage which 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 when he moved to Kampala, he 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 then 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.
Ziza Bafana began singing professionally in 2011 and has never turned back with his outstanding dancehall music genre. Ziza Bafana once belonged to the now-defunct Back 2 Life group alongside Yiya Moze before going solo again.
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 unique singing style.. 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.
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.
In regards to his relationships, Ziza Bafana broke up his wife, the mother of his first child Vanessa and now he cohabits with a woman named Irene with whom they also have a child.
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
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