Qute Kaye Shares His Painful Fight Against Drugs

Qute Kaye was once a shining star in Uganda’s music scene, a name that lit up radios and concert halls alike.

Fans admired his talent, but behind the fame, he was fighting a private war few could see.

Addiction had taken hold, turning his life upside down and leaving him trapped in a cycle of despair.

Speaking to Sanyuka TV, the “Jinkeese” hitmaker revealed that he initially tried to battle the addiction in secrecy.

I could not tell anybody what was happening. One day, I found myself in a police office, completely broken. I called one of the boys to buy me heroin, and they did. If I had not gotten it that day, things could have been worse.

At the peak of his fame, Qute Kaye’s life was spiraling out of control.

The constant pressure of being in the public eye left him isolated, and even those who tried to help him could not understand the depth of his struggle.

Everyone who tried to help me did not really know what I was going through. I could not open up about my addiction.

Quitting drugs, he explained, was never a matter of willpower, as they rewire the brain and make the process of recovery both painful and demanding.

People say ‘just stop,’ but it is not that easy. Drugs rewire your brain. When you stop, your body fights back. It is a painful process, recovery takes time.

For Kaye, addiction consumed both mind and body, making survival revolve entirely around feeding the habit.

Drugs take control of your whole body and brain. You start thinking only about money, how to get it, just to buy more drugs.

Even in the darkest moments, he never completely gave up.

He realized that accepting his condition was the first step toward reclaiming his life.

Acceptance is the first step to recovery. When I fall sick, it is not just me who suffers, my whole family does. My mother cried when I was not doing well.

Now, as he continues on the path to healing, Qute Kaye speaks openly about addiction, framing it as a disease rather than a scandal.

Addiction makes people break the law, not because they want to, but because they are fighting to survive.

He also highlights the worrying prevalence of addiction among Uganda’s youth.

About 75 percent of Uganda’s youth are battling some form of drug addiction. I have smoked with people from all walks of life, it does not choose who to attack.

Today, Qute Kaye uses his story as a message of hope.

His journey shows that recovery begins with honesty, compassion, and acceptance.

The voice that addiction once silenced now speaks with courage and purpose, inspiring others to confront their struggles and seek help.