Ugandan TikTok sensation Tenge Tenge, real name Saad Ssozi, says he has been locked out of his own social media accounts and earnings by his former manager, Michael Kabonge.
The 12-year-old dancer shot to fame with high-energy videos that Kabonge produced and promoted. Behind the scenes, Michael managed Tenge Tenge’s accounts, booked gigs, and handled his brand deals.
The partnership fell apart after a dispute over money, according to Tenge Tenge. Tenge Tenge says Michael did not split the social media revenue fairly.
Tenge Tenge’s YouTube channel, launched in 2021, now has 4.26 million subscribers and 1.6 billion views across 751 videos. On TikTok, his account has grown to 12.3 million followers with 169.7 million likes.
In a YouTube interview, the young star accused Michael of taking control of his YouTube channel and claiming it as his own. Now Tenge Tenge is asking for help to get the channel back or to reach a fair deal with his former manager.
Tenge Tenge’s fame has spread far beyond Uganda. He has worked with several big names in entertainment. American streamer IShowSpeed met him in Nairobi and they made viral videos together.
He also teamed up with Botswana comedian and rapper William Last KRM.
His clips have caught the attention of global stars too. Chris Brown shared Tenge Tenge’s content and met him in person. Nigerian artist Davido invited him to appear in music videos alongside the Triplets Ghetto Kids.
