As journalists, some became famous for their critical but objective coverage of excesses of public institutions. Along the way and in pursuit of better lives, some of them joined the very institutions they often critiqued.
In worst case scenarios, a few have become avid defenders of the institutions they used to unsparingly cover and have made work difficult for other practicing journalists.
Below we highlight the journalists that have made this switch mindful of their right to choose where and who to work for. So no hard feelings guys!
Chris Obore
The critical Chris Obore of Red Pepper, Daily Monitor and KFM is still ingrained in the minds of his admirers. At his journalism height, Obore was the face of bold and independent journalism. All this changed when he joined Parliament as Director of Communication. If you want to get on his wrong side, don’t speak anything ill about Parliament.
Sadab Kitatta Kaaya
As a senior reporter for The Observer, Kitatta was no stranger to run-ins with MPs and Parliament over his critical reporting. At one point during the 9th Parliament he was close to being suspended by Kadaga but he somehow survived.
He entered Parliament’s employment in 2021 as Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga’s communication honcho. Today, he works as a Senior Public Affairs Officer at Parliament and takes instructions from some of the people he used to criticize. Well, things can change!
Joseph Sabiti
Sabiti is one of the most eloquent broadcast journalists of his era. He uncensored views on NBS TV’s Panel of Journalists programme won him so many admirers.
Once when Sabiti asked the President Museveni a question, the big man retorted, “we know who you work for.” Sabiti now works for Parliament as head of Speaker Anita Among’s communication team. He is very uncompromising when it comes to defending the speaker’s image.
Charles Odongtho
As a critical journalist Charles Odongtho was expelled from Vision Voice (now X FM) for insisting on covering the 2009 Buganda Riots even when management had ordered him not to.
He went on to host political talk shows on NTV, NBS TV and later UBC. Last year, after years of trying to join government, Odongtho landed at the Office of the Prime Minister as a spokesperson.
Sheila Nduhukire
Sheila Nduhukire was a budding journalist who projected an image of fearlessness. She once cornered President Museveni at a national function in Karamoja and started shooting off questions, a move that angered Museveni’s security handlers.
After working at NTV and NBS TV, she realized that criticism of government will not put enough food on the table. She now works as spokesperson of the National Medical Stores and one of her duties is to explain why some health facilities have no drugs or why NMS spends colossal amounts of money to destroy expired drugs.
Simon Kasyate
Simon Kasyate was a flamboyant, self-assured journalist more in the mold of Andrew Mwenda. He did some good investigative pieces for Daily Monitor and brought life to NTV’s On-the-Spot talk show, where his provocative and incisive questions kept guests on the edge.
After moving around in circles, he joined a government entity UEGCL as spokesperson. Today he is the spokesperson KCCA, and more often than not, will be active on social media defending the poor state of roads and services in the city. “There is no money,” he often retorts.
Emmanuel Ainebyoona
In July 2018, Emmanuel Ainebyoona wrote a scathing story in Daily Monitor about health facilities running out of drugs and vaccines to the detriment of patients.
One year later, he was appointed spokesperson at the Ministry of Health charged among others with defending the state of the health facilities, he used to write about. It was a tough assignment but a man has got to do what he has to do to survive.
