They were the ultimate newsmakers in the early to late 2000s. Even when some of them whispered, it made headlines. Today, you may spend two months without reading about them in the newspapers or hearing a mention of their names on the radio. Where are they?
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Lawrence Mulindwa
Mulindwa was the powerful president of FUFA and was a darling of the sports media. He exuded so much power that not many sports journalists could criticize him openly. In fact many of the journalists were on his payroll. Today, Mulindwa who is the director of St Lawrence SS Kitende and owner of Vipers SC is rarely in the news.
Moses Byaruhanga
As a political advisor to the President, Moses Byaruhanga used to be visible in the media in the early 2000s. He often wrote pieces defending his boss and was a regular fixture on radio talk shows. Politicians like Dr Kizza Besigye felt his wrath. Today Byaruhanga still works at State House but prefers to operate quietly. He is into farming.
Prof Gilbert Bukenya
As Vice President Prof Gilbert Bukenya was one of the most written about news figures. His imitation of the president, his political troubles, his love life and everything in between always attracted news. Today he is a senior presidential advisor on the environment but will hardly get a mention in the news.
Nsaba Buturo
As minister of state for Information in the early 2000s, Buturo was always in the news updating the country on various decisions of government. But he came to the forefront when he said the play, Vagina Monologues, will only be staged over his dead body. This set off back and forth exhanges with feminists. Today, Buturo is an MP but rarely does he make news.
Dr Specioza Kazibwe
Kazibwe was a rouble-rousing vice president with views on many things. She was very talkative and never feared to stir trouble. She once claimed that circumcised men are the best in bed. The decision by the government to spend Shs 2.5 billion on her studies in 2003 was controversial and attracted a backlash. Today, Kazibwe rarely makes news and you can spend six months without reading about her in a newspaper.
John Ken Lukyamuzi
Lukyamuzi, the man, was the maverick MP for Rubaga South. He was one of the most active and visible MPs in the early 2000s. He was also very comical and in another era, he would have made a good comedian. Since he left Parliament in 2016, Lukyamuzi went quiet. He is often spotted at political events but his words rarely make news.
Kavuma Kabenge
Kavuma Kabenge was chairman of Express FC who gave Mulindwa’s FUFA a hard time. As a lawyer, he often contested many of the decisions of the football governing body. In fact, one time he was banned from the game only for the punishment to be rescinded. He always kept sports journalists fully occupied. For the last five years, Kabenge has been out of the spotlight. We have been told that he is pursuing PhD in law.
Denis Mbidde
Mbidde, the bearded marketer, was the toast of the corporate world in the 2000s. He was the brains behind the Corporate League and was heavily involved in local football affairs. He worked at UTL, National Housing, and a host of other companies before founding a marketing agency that suffered a stillbirth. In 2021, Mbidde contested for the MP seat in Rubaga North and lost. He has since gone into oblivion.
Sylvia Owori
Owori was a city socialite and owner of a modelling agency. She was a big player on Kampala’s social circuit and any person who was something in this town had to have her number. She was regularly featured in the gossip pages of newspapers. Today she is a director at Operation Wealth Creation where, it appears, she can’t make news.