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Nixon Katabira.
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Nixon Katabira. (Supplied)
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Music is a powerful tool for communicating and one local artist has made it his mission to spread the gospel through his songs. 

Nixon Katabira, born in Uganda, now lives in Winkler with his wife and their four children. 

"I was born and raised in Uganda in a small town, between two cities. I was raised by a single mom. My mom was Catholic but she allowed me to go to a Pentecostal church. My career in music started developing then," says Katabira.

"I was one of the Compassion-assisted children, which also helped me because every Saturday we used to meet and have Bible classes. That's how my faith developed."

When Katabira was in his late teens, he started a music ministry in Uganda. 

"As I kept on moving with the ministry, I realized it was more than a music ministry. I realized that music was just a shovel to build the kingdom, just a tool."

At that point, he decided to take discipleship training through YWAM. It was there he met his wife, Chasity, from Winkler, Man. He continued running the ministry which turned into youth seminars and conferences in Africa.

"I don't use my music for commercial purposes. My music is basically ministry and I've used it to educate young people. We have a ministry called Love All Ministries Uganda, which started in our home as a drop-in centre and now it's growing."

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Nixon and Chasity Katabira with their four children. (Supplied)

While there are over 50 tribes in Uganda, the most spoken languages are English and Luganda. Both of these are used in Katabira's music. 

"Some [of the songs] are totally English but I have a number of them in Luganda and English."

Katabira records his music in his home and has been releasing singles on YouTube.

"The more you repeat something the more it comes true. I don't just take music as entertainment, but as a tool, building the kingdom. When a title comes into my mind, I ask God 'What do you want to speak?'"

Katabira encourages other musicians to pray during the writing process, as he says music is a powerful communicator for good or evil. 

"Yes it brings a smile but it's also food to the soul of which it helps us to grow. I would encourage every artist as they write songs to ask God what He wants to speak because God has a lot he wants to speak to the community."

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