As the Jamaican dance-hall artist Garfield Delano Spence, commonly known as Konshens is set to perform at the Blankets and Wine Festival on December 17, 2023, after 10 years of being in the country, Uganda Police guaranteed the revelers of security. The event which looks at closing the year, will be held at the Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala.

While addressing the press in Kampala on Friday, December 15, 2023, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson said that, the police will use all the available resources to ensure people’s safety both within and outside the premises.

“Security will ensure that everyone that is coming or has come for that event is safe and leaves safe, including the guests that are coming from outside the country. We believe that the guest artists that have been invited shall be provided security as they move around Kampala and where they will be staying but also during their period of stay in the country,” Owoyesigyire said.

He however appealed to the public that is going to be part of the event to follow the guidelines that will be set by police.  He said that traffic will be diverting off some roads at a certain period of time and asked the public to cooperate with the officers in cases when they are directed to use a certain way not hesitate.

He added that, there will be access control manned by officers from Counter Terrorism.

He noted that, no items will be allowed into the venue, stressing that during the previous Blankets and Wine, people would enter with their drinks though this time round, no outside drinks are allowed at the venue.

“There will be thorough checkups. We shall be guarding the perimeter, that is, outside and also within the perimeter with police officers, together with the UPDF and intelligence agencies within the country to see that the event goes on successfully,” Owoyesigyire noted.

Owoyesigyire added that, Uganda has had security threats before which he was not going to mention.

“The threats are still alive and as Ugandans you know about this. I don’t want to come up and mention them and scare away Konshens but you know them. So there will be strict security measures on that day and we expect everyone to follow those guidelines that we shall put in place,” he emphasized.

Owoyesigyire said that, the police expects the organizers to provide a list of the stewards who in this case are the bouncers that will work with Police in ensuring crowd control.

Konshens thanked the organizers, the Uganda Police Force, artists and people behind the cameras, adding that, he was happy to be back in Uganda and looked forward to a very beautiful event.

“Coming here and seeing the people is turning me up. I am looking at the young people, the artists and all the people, and I am happy to be here,” Konshens said.

Konshens is known for his songs like Couple Up, I’m Coming, Turn Me On, Pull Up to Mi Bumper, Bruk Off Yuh Back, and Hard Drive, among others.

The event will be graced by dozens of musicians including Elijah Kitaka, Likkle Bangi, Ceee, Likas Black, and others.

Blankets and Wine fest is a quarterly, picnic-style, family-friendly music festival. It held its first event in Kampala in August 2012, and has since grown to hold three to four events a year.