Government has ordered the immediate closure of the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), a respected media training institution in Africa, citing unspecified intelligence reports that its activities “threaten national security.” In a notice dated January 9, 2026, the NGO Bureau suspended ACME’s operating permit under Section 42(d) of the NGO Act Cap 109. The…
Isaac Daniel Katende, popularly known as Kasuku, managed to extract one million shillings from President Museveni after a session he and others had with him at State House Nakesero. Dubbed “Jazz with Jajja,” the interaction involved several digital content creators and social media influencers with Museveni. It was organised by Natasha Karugire Museveni, the president’s…
MC Kats, a popular entertainment presenter and event host and a mainstay on Uganda’s local TV scene, is set to leave NBS Television, Bbeg Media has learnt. Sources at the Naguru-based broadcaster say Kats, who has been hosting the evening entertainment show After 5, has told management that he will exit the station at the…
Brian Mulondo, one of Uganda’s most recognisable radio voices, has left KFM after eight years, marking the end of an era for one of the country’s most influential radio brands. Mulondo’s exit was confirmed through a tribute by Joseph Beyanga, his former boss at FM, who described him as “probably the most consequential signing of…
Daniel Kalinaki, the General Manager, Editorial, of Nation Media Group in Uganda, is in a spot of bother after his PR firm was linked to a Shs 22 billion deal undertaken by the Ministry of Works and Transport, which has attracted public scrutiny. Zulu Media Limited, one of the entities in a joint venture that…
Nine months after we reported that The Observer newspaper, one of Uganda’s most reputable news organisations, is up for sale, it is yet to find a suitable buyer. Sources told us that several people and entities had expressed interest, but many pulled out for unclear reasons. Others, sources said, had backed out because of the…
After months of speculation, Meddie Nsereko will not be returning to CBS FM, three highly placed sources have told Bbeg Media. Meddie Nsereko has been off air for more than two months. We reported last month that he had applied for sick leave because his eyes had a defect that he wanted to treat in…
Uganda’s digital news sector is expanding at a remarkable pace, but it remains fragile, unevenly regulated, and can be easily manipulated, a new report by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) warns. The State of Uganda’s Media Landscape 2024–2025 report, which focuses on digital news and elections, says the country now has more than…
Next Media has announced a nationwide call for organisations to join its expanding Creative Media Skilling and Work Transition programme, a move that some analysts believe will help the company strengthen its influence in the face of competition from several digital content creators. The plan has a sweetener: Next Media will fund partner organisations that…
Stanbic Bank Uganda, in collaboration with the Uganda Bankers Association (UBA), on Monday convened a targeted engagement with online media personalities, digital editors, content creators, and social media influencers to strengthen national fraud-awareness efforts at a time when many Ugandans increasingly rely on online news. Opening the session, Candy Wekesa Okoboi, Stanbic Bank’s head of…
Paul Lwanga, a long-time lieutenant of Next Media CEO Kin Kariisa, may be on his way out of the company, according to multiple sources. Having risen through the ranks from Human Resources Officer to Chief People Officer, to Chief Operations Officer, and then to General Manager of Hillcom (a Next Media subsidiary), insiders have told…
Uganda’s media landscape has turned into a real battleground lately. As the Nation Media Group (NMG) clashes with the government, Next Media, one of the biggest broadcasters around, has been pulled into the mess too. But the Naguru-based media conglomerate has kept a safe distance. The trouble started earlier this year. Since March 2025, reporters…
In December 2015, when President Museveni held a rally in Soroti Municipality, he announced that Tirinya Health Centre IV would be converted into a general hospital. He also said that Kamuda Health Centre III would be upgraded to Health Centre IV by 2020. Yesterday at a rally in Soroti city, Museveni said, “We are upgrading…
The dismissal of Betsy Mugamba, the former chief operations officer of Sanyu FM in 2020 was lawful and justified, the Industrial Court has ruled. This bring to an end a five-year legal battle that arose from the 2020 staff strike over Covid-19 pay cuts. Justice Anthony Wabwire Musana, delivering judgment, said the radio station followed…
Veteran CBS presenter Meddie Nsereko is currently in the United Kingdom for sick leave, sources within the Mengo-based radio station have told us. There had been reports that the veteran radio presenter was under suspension, but this has now been disputed. “He applied for sick leave because his eyes have a defect which he wants…
Parliament has blocked access to reporters from Daily Monitor and NTV, multiple sources at the two institutions have confirmed to us. The two organisations are part of the Nation Media Group, one of the biggest multi-media organisations in East Africa. Chris Obore, the Director of Communications, said he had been informed that it was a…
Panic has gripped workers at the Naguru-based Next Media following reports that the company could slash the number of staff by the end of December. More than 20 people from various departments could be affected, four people with knowledge about the ongoing meetings by top management told Bbeg Media. The decision to lay off some…
Stella Nandawula Ssendagire, a prominent news anchor at BBS TV, and her husband Charles Ssendagire, the Head of Broadcast (current affairs) at Next Media, have reportedly left Uganda for the United States in pursuit of “kyeyo” (odd jobs). Sources in the US told Bbeg Media that the couple arrived in the States last month and…
If you came of age in the early 2000s in Uganda, one tabloid stood out like the fiery chilli it claimed to be: The Red Pepper. If you wanted the juiciest scoops on celebrities, politicians, and everyday personalities, Red Pepper was your go-to source. It had been christened Kamulali in the local dialect, a direct translation…
For those with a long memory, 2012 was the year that brought Dean Lubowa Saava, a fiery journalist, to national prominence. It all started in Luzira, a suburb of Kampala, when an eviction, overseen by George Agaba, the then-director of planning at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), turned deadly. One person lost their life…
Next Media has opened an internal investigation into allegations that some of its editors, reporters, and video journalists have been benefiting “financially” from news sources and subjects. Impeccable sources told Bbeg Media that the probe is headed by Sauba Luwaga, the head of internal audit. Luwaga is one of Kin Kariisa’s most trusted lieutenants at…
“We are THE KAMPALA JOURNAL. “The Truth Command Centre. It starts here.” That’s the tagline of The Kampala Journal’s official X account, which has 45,442 followers. It’s boisterous. It’s emphatic. But one problem with it, it is not accurate. In a country where many people eat and drink politics, few accounts on X stir as…
In the four years Don Wanyama has been at the helm of the Vision Group, the multi-media company has made losses in three of them. Wanyama, President Museveni’s former press secretary, took over the reins from Robert Kabushenga in April 2021. After one year, Vision Group reported that turnover of Shs111.4 billion and a profit…
The CEO of Next Media, Kin Kariisa, has resigned as a member of the organising committee for the CHAN 2024 and AFCON 2027 tournament set to be held in Uganda. In a letter dated July 1, 2025, addressed to the chairperson of the committee, Kariisa cited personal reasons for his decision, effective immediately. Kariisa expressed…
It’s Deep! That was the Sqoop tagline, a popular pull-out which Daily Monitor has scrapped from its physical edition. Sources at the Namuwongo-based newspaper told Bbeg Media that the pull-out, which used to come out in the paper’s Friday edition, will now be only accessed online and only for subscription members. “We were shocked by…
In a recent meeting with the editorial staff of Next Media, Col Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, had one major question: Why do some of you hate the NRM government? The question set off a chain of dramatic and animated reactions highlighting the complex relationship between the state and…
Journalists from NBS TV, NTV and Daily Monitor have been told to stay away from the NRM electoral commission offices tomorrow when President Museveni, collects nomination forms formalizing his bid for a seventh term as president and NRM chairman in the 2026 elections. Sources told us that management of the news organisations had been informed…
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), an umbrella body comprising broadcasters in Uganda yesterday issued a powerful statement condemning a directive from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) that ordered Kenyan television and radio stations to stop live coverage of ongoing demonstrations. “We respectfully urge the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) and the government of…
On Saturday, July 26, 2025, multimedia journalist Kungu Al-Mahadi Adam will graduate with a Master of Science in Mass Communication from Kampala International University’s (KIU) Western Campus in Ishaka, Bushenyi district. The ceremony, coinciding with KIU’s 25th anniversary, will celebrate thousands of graduands in a milestone event for the university. Kungu, a 33-year-old journalist known…
Timothy Kalyegira, a renowned social and political critic, replied to a post on X yesterday by saying he was “hiding in the basement.” Why? Hours earlier, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), had written that he was ready to pay Shs 10 million to anybody who could deliver Kalyegira to him. Kalyegira…
President Museveni has repeatedly declined to meet with senior executives from NBS TV and Nation Media to address the ongoing standoff caused by security agencies barring their journalists from covering state events,Bbeg Media has been told. Impeccable sources told us that for weeks, Kin Kariisa, CEO of Next Media Services, and other senior executives from…
Bbeg Media has confirmed that journalists from NBS TV, Daily Monitor, and NTV will not be allowed to access the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for President Museveni’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) today. According to the list of accredited journalists seen by Bbeg Media, representatives from these three media organizations were notably absent. The organizations…
The Daily Monitor has apologized to the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, for publishing an article in which Isaac Ssemakadde, the Uganda Law Society president, allegedly defamed the minister. The article, which has since been deleted from Monitor’s platforms, was titled: “Ssemakadde accuses Kiryowa in Museveni letter, demands ouster.” It was published on February 2, 2025….
Kin Kariisa, the chief executive officer of Next Media, has been placed on the marketing committee of Uganda’s AFCON 2027 planning team. Kariisa confirmed in an interview with Bbeg Media that he had been placed on the committee chaired by Rogers Byamukama, FUFA’s head of marketing. “Our role will be to look for corporate sponsors…
The box containing some of the ashes of the late Shaka Ssali was displayed in Alexandria, Virginia, where the former towering broadcaster was cremated in a private ceremony. Against the wishes of some of his folks in Kabale, Uganda, Ssali was cremated yesterday. His reasons for choosing cremation over a traditional burial are still unknown….
The BBC is reviewing the contracts of Alan Kasujja and Paul Bakibinga ahead of a fresh round of cut-offs, impeccable sources in London and Kampala have told Bbeg Media. Insider sources have told us that Kasujja and Bakibinga, two of Uganda’s biggest media exports to the UK, were recently notified of the reviews, which could…
Dalton Kaweesa, who was sacked as chief news manager of Next Media in January, is back at the Naguru-based station, but in a smaller capacity. Impeccable sources informed us that Kaweesa is now the Head of Current Affairs, a role that places him three positions lower than his previous one. He was sacked after it…
Flavia Tumusiime, who started as a presenter on the Teens Club show on WBS TV, has been appointed Head of Broadcast at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda. Impeccable sources told Bbeg Media that Tumusiime was appointed by the board last month, beating several senior and seasoned managers who had applied for the position. She replaces…
NBS TV has suspended MPs: Betty Nambooze and Daudi Kabanda from appearing on the Barometer talk-show for different reasons, impeccable sources have told Bbeg Media. Insider sources at Naguru told Bbeg Media that Nambooze, the Mukono Municipality MP, had been stopped for criticising NBS TV on some social media platforms following the suspension of Zambaali…
The discussions to have Robert Kyagulanyi, the National Unity Platform (NUP) president, appear on NBS TV’s flagship talk show, Barometer, had several twists and turns. Multiple sources knowledgeable about the discussions told Bbeg Media on condition of anonymity that the negotiations were tense, and neither side wanted to cede any of its positions. At one…
Shaka Ssali, one of Uganda’s most celebrated broadcasters, is dead. Ssali, 71, passed away in the US after a long battle with illness. For more than 20 years, Ssali hosted Straight talk Africa and was the editor-in-chief of the VOA television. He retired in 2021. In June 2021, Julius Mucunguzi, a friend and mentee of…
At least 50 employees could be laid off by Vision Group by the end of this year, insider sources have told Bbeg Media. Our sources told us that employees have been told that the company is struggling due to the deteriorating economic environment. We have also been told that the process of laying off staff…
Two months after Next Media sacked Dalton Kaweesa as Chief News Manager, it is still struggling to find a suitable replacement. Kaweesa was relieved of his duties in January following a restructuring exercise that also led to the exit of Joseph Kigozi, the deputy CEO. Dorah Atwongyeire, who is currently acting news manager, had been…
Some of the journalists who were brutalized by security forces during the Kawempe North by-elections have spoken of the anguish and pain they went through at the hands of their tormentors. Francis Isano, a photojournalist from the Next Media who spent several days in hospital suffering from a broken neck said what he went through…
Journalists from Daily Monitor, NTV, and NBS TV were today told that they were not welcome to cover the commissioning of Bunyoro University by President Museveni. Sources told us that Daily Monitor’s Alex Ashaba, NTV ‘s Joseph Kasumba, and NBS TV’s Allan Mwesigwa were told by a soldier from the Special Forces Command (SFC) that…
The Observer, one of Uganda’s most authoritative and analytical newspapers, is looking for a buyer, Bbeg Media has learned. Pius Muteekani Katunzi, the managing director of The Observer, told Bbeg Media that they had talked to some prospective investors about buying the paper. “We have been in talks with a couple of people. There are…
NBS TV’s Zambaali Bulasio Mukasa has become the latest journalist to enter Uganda’s tumultuous political ring. The deep-voiced news anchor and talk show host made his ambitions public at a rally in Kyebando during the recently concluded Kawempe North by-elections. When Zambaali left the rally, his job was on the line and his political future…
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has suspended the operation license of Pearl FM (107.9), a Muslim-founded media station, for allegedly broadcasting “alarmist” and “sensational” information related to the Kawempe North by-election. In a letter to the managing director of the station, UCC noted that during their show “Mpulidde Kamenya” yesterday, the presenter Sulaiman Kalule alleged…
The Nation Media Group (NMG) and Next Media, two of the leading media organizations in Uganda have withdrawn their journalists from Kawempe North citing safety concerns. In a post on X, Daniel Kalinaki the General Manager (Editorial) at NMG (U) said they were concerned about the increasing attacks on their journalists by security personnel. “We…
In a new twist, Charles Mwanguhya will resume his duties as host of The Frontline on NBS TV, after management considered that his circumstances were unique from those of other employees who have expressed interest in joining local politics in 2026. We reported last week that Mwanguhya had been taken off air after it emerged…
