Music producer Emmanuel Ssempijja, better known as Kuseim, is engaged.
On Thursday evening, June 12, the renowned hitmaker got down on one knee and proposed to his partner, Cathy Bae Powers, in an intimate setting in Munyonyo. The moment, witnessed by a few close friends, was followed by cheers—and a yes.
Tears welled in Cathy’s eyes as she accepted. A professional makeup artist, she later shared photos from the engagement on Instagram, showing the couple embracing beside Lake Victoria, where they also enjoyed a boat ride after the proposal.
Kuseim is behind some of the biggest Ugandan hits in the last decade. He has worked with stars like Eddy Kenzo, Feffe Bussi, and Pia Pounds. One of his early breakthroughs came in 2015 with Kenzo’s Mbilo Mbilo.
Speaking in a 2021 interview, Kuseim said: “One of my first projects was Eddy Kenzo’s ‘Mbilo Mbilo’, a song I believe outragedly sparked the Afrobeat genre in Uganda.”
His recent collaborations with singer Azawi have also made waves. Tracks like Quinamino, Slow Dancing, and Repeat It all bear his production signature. “His work helped bring my career to life,” Azawi has said.
The couple has not announced a wedding date yet, but in Kuseim’s words, marriage is “in the pipeline.”
News of the engagement drew warm reactions across the Ugandan entertainment scene. “Congratulations and wish you all the best on this journey,” said Swangz Avenue co-founder Benon Mugumbya. Model and entrepreneur Judith Heard added, “Congratulations Baddest.”
Other well-wishers included DJ Shiru, Pia Pounds, and Lydia Jazmine, who joined the chorus of congratulations on social media.