Meet the people who read your TV news
Racheal Arinaitwe reads news at NTV.
You have seen them on your screens, every night, telling you what has transpired during the day. Edgar R. Batte spoke to the anchors.
Rachael Arinaitwe - NTV
She is a really simple, gentle and delightful person. So it is no surprise that when I ask Rachael Arinaitwe to describe her life outside the news room, she says she enjoys good conversation. “I love to sit somewhere quiet over coffee or dinner to chat and laugh out loud. I enjoy shopping but not groceries. I like shopping for shoes, clothes, jewellery you name it,” she adds.
Until April this year, Arinaitwe had two jobs, at NTV where she anchors the 9pm bulletin and at Power FM where she was a presenter. She was also a news anchor at the radio station she joined in 2008.
At Power FM, she met a friend, Ben Mwine who at the time was the managing director. Today, the two are an item. “I am engaged and I am to be married to the awesome Benjamin Mwine,” she proudly says.
Anchoring is a job with its challenges. “The critics, some are mean whereas others are outright rude. I’ve learnt to gauge what’s useful and what isn’t. Sometimes I don’t want to wear lipstick or heels but this comes with the territory.”
The anchor is a daughter of a serving pastor who is a veterinary doctor. Her mother owns and manages a day-care centre. She is the second born of four siblings- two boys and two girls.
Sumayiyah Muwonge - Bukedde TV
She is talkative and smiles all the time. She enjoys cracking jokes about colleagues. When I ask her to describe herself, Sumayiyah Muwonge says she is a God-fearing, patient and happy person.
She is one of the faces that read Agataliiko Nfuufu news. This one of many things she does at Bukedde Television.
“I am a programmes producer for the television, I edit programmes and then I am a news anchor,” she says. She is a mother of one son and a wife to Abu Keyner, a music producer with K-Recordz in Bulange, Mengo.
She is a journalism graduate from Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU). She started out at Bukedde Television station as a reporter. Before this she did voice-overs for adverts and documentaries. “I love music, directing videos and drama,” the 26-year-old adds.
Josephine Karungi Musisi - NTV
She is that face you see on NTV Weekend Edition bulletins o. She loves journalism and explains why. “You meet so many people, share in so many people’s experiences, and your story just might help someone,” she says. Karungi recently got married to Vince Musisi, a radio presenter and music producer. She now strikes a balance between work and marriage. I ask her how she balances the two. “You learn how to do something differently everyday so my time at work and at home is well spent. I don’t know if there can actually ever be a balance, but I try,” she explains.
Karungi is a private person who I have to convince for a while to give me this interview. But you need to get to close Karungi or hang out in her circles to know that she is also a stubborn, diligent, serious and quite impatient lady who is affirmative and positive about life.
A good series, book or seeing something she has done turn out well brings a smile to her face. Her smile is taken away by negative people.
She joined NTV in 2009. Prior to this she worked for a Non-Government Organisation (NGO).
John Baptist Imokola - WBS TV
John Baptist Imokola is a lecturer at Makerere University as well as a student pursuing a Masters in Journalism and Communication.
But his face is one we see on Prime News on WBS Television, as a news anchor. His biggest highlight so far has been the coverage of the 2011 presidential elections.
“WBS had just acquired three OB vans. We went live from five o’clock in the morning to the time the results were announced. We had a studio in Namboole. It was just a great time,” he says.
Imokola says about his family, “I am officially married to Zaidah Ramadhan with whom I have a wonderful five-year-old daughter.” When he began teaching, he needed to go back to school. He says, “Sometimes when you are fully in the newsroom you do not focus on things outside.” On the side, he does some farming.
Emily Mwebaze - UBC Television
She is frank about goofs she has made on TV.
“I have had several embarrassing things on air, but the worst was when I was put on air as I tried to button my jacket. Well, if someone saw that, he knows the bra I was putting on that day. I just couldn’t concentrate throughout the bulletin,” she recounts.
Mwebaze is a musician too. If she is not on television or on stage she is at the cinema. But her job has put her in the limelight, forcing her to a bit of an uncomfortable life.
She adds that her schedule is quite awkward. “Either I go home very late or I am up very early. Keeping up with the appearances is costly too. And then there is striving to beat the competition from other news anchors so as to be loved by the audience,” she adds. Mwebaze comes from Itozho, Ntungamo District, and is a daughter of the late Patrick Mwebaze and Margret Naturinda.
“I grew up in several hands as I was orphaned at an early age. So I haven’t had one particular place that I have called my home. But all that is now history, I have my own space,” she explains.
Daniel Katabira - NBS TV
After training with CBS FM for three months, Daniel Katabira was not retained. He was told he was still young.
“So my uncle in Jinja advised me to try the Jinja- based NBS radio. Later, he begun reporting for NBS Television and was then promoted to a news anchor. But the going is not as smooth as reflected in his calm demeanour.
“Maintaining that credible image off camera is not that easy. People have a lot more weird expectations from you; they expect to see a financially sound person,” he shares.
He also points out the meagre salaries. “It is very funny that we in the media use our channels to help those agitating for salary increments, forgetting to clean our own houses first,” he explains.
When off air, Katabira likes travelling, watching TV, playing, watching football and gardening. Katabira is in a relationship with a very beautiful, loving and intelligent lady who he says he will unveil to the public soon.
Malcom Musiime - NTV
His most embarrassing television moment was when he had a slip of the tongue and said “sank you” instead of “thank you”.
“…and my friend Patrick Kanyomozi posted it on Facebook. It attracted almost 40 comments, some of which were not cool, I almost killed him but later had to forgive him.” In his private life, Musiime enjoys his drink at Asylum Bar and if happy will get onto the dance floor and show off some cool dance strokes. Before you saw him on NTV, he had worked with four radio stations, three in western Uganda and then at KFM from where he crossed to NTV.
“I walked in and proved that I can offer exactly what was needed in an anchor at that time and bingo, I got the job,” he explains. His best moment as an anchor is reading news everyday knowing that his father, Edward Kataraiha, is watching.
“…he has given me a call before and told me he watches NTV Tonight. That was a good feeling,” he says. He says he is single and only waiting for the lucky lady.
Sean Kimuli - NBS TV
Sean Kimuli says of himself, “I am meek and I respect every person and I don’t hate anyone, something I am grateful for. ”
Before you saw him on your television set, he was a garbage collector in one of the garbage-collecting companies in town. He later joined radio, first at Kampala FM and Power FM. He then crossed to Radio One as a News anchor and editor.
Today he is the Corporate Affairs Manager, presenter and news anchor for Platinum News which airs at 8pm.
As an anchor he cherishes that moment when he tells a story live, though he says these can be tense moments.
At NBS Television he began as a presenter of the Morning Breeze, which he co-hosted with Joy Biira.
Kimuli is a graduate of Fine Art in which he has a diploma. He also has a diploma in journalism. He is a journalist who does some reporting on TV. On the side he is an emcee.
Ssanyu Robinah Mweruka - Bukedde TV
Her days differ. Some days, she will work during the day and other time on the night shift.
Her role is not only anchoring news. She is a television producer. At one o’clock, she breaks off and go home for lunch. “It is the same time my children will have broken off from school so we do homework. I start watching news from other television stations to compare,” she adds.
Becoming a news anchor is a dream come true. She wanted to have a career in journalism because of Sylvia Nalukwago on then UTV. “…But my father, a reverend, always forbade me from watching television for fear that I would get funny ideas,” she recalls. She is a graduate of Uganda Media Consultants and Trainers (UMCAT) and specialised in radio and television production. Away from television, Mweruka is a happy wife who likes spending her weekend at the theatre, watching plays or at the beach.
Ndereya Mukasa Mutyaba - WBS TV
He reads Amawulire on WBS Television at 8pm and he says to be as good as he is, takes one being knowledgeable. On top of being an anchor he is news editor of the Luganda news. Mutyaba has worked at WBS television for three and a half years. But before he joined WBS Television he was at NBS Television for two and a half years. “Before that I worked at KFM. Before that, I worked at Dembe FM as a news reporter. I am a graduate of journalism from Umcat and I have upgraded with a diploma in production at Cape Town Institute of Audio and Visual Production,” he explains about his qualifications. His most embarrassing moment on air was when he picked a news bulletin sheet and had to translate it live on air. He is a simple man, down-to-earth, jovial and he loves football. He is a die-hard supporter of Arsenal. He is family man, with a three-year-old son.
George Williams Kuteesa - Bukedde TV
He is one of the faces behind the popular Agataliiko Nfuufu, on Bukedde Television. George Williams Kuteesa is the anchor you will excuse for smiling when anchoring the bulletin because some of the items are simply rib-cracking. Kuteesa is not much different off the screen. He is a composed man who chooses his words carefully.
He is a an assistant pastor at Redeemed Evangelist Church at Kilombe, Luzira. He says this is one of the secrets he has kept from his colleagues and bosses. The 28-year-old is married with two children. He joined Bukedde Television in 2010. He crossed from Record Television “Prior to joining Record Television, I did a diploma in journalism at Vision Institute of Public Relations and Management, along Bombo road,” he explains.
When he joined Bukedde, he was initially a reporter but as the team of television anchors was built, he was promoted from a reporter to anchoring.
Bushrah Namirimu - NBS
Meeting Bushrah Namirimu in person reveals a different character from the confident news anchor you see on the TV. I have some convincing to do before she can finally accept, albeit grudgingly. “Oh my God…I am a shy person,” she says when I introduce myself.
When she completed her Diploma in Journalism from International Institute of Business and Media Studies she did her internship as a reporter at Dembe FM. Her editor then, Freddie Kakembo noticed her proficiency and gave her a chance to read news. That was in 2010.
She worked at Dembe FM for a year and in 2011 in September she was offered an opportunity as a reporter at NBS Television and she took it up.
Today she doubles as a news anchor. She says she is dreaming of making a name as a news anchor just like Frank Walusimbi. “I admire him a lot. He is a household name,” she adds.
Diana Kagere - WBS Television
She had to ditch her middle name Tricia because her supervisor thought it was cheeky. Because of that, she is now known to television views as Diana Kagere, the light-skinned, cheerful news anchor.
She joined WBS in 2005 on a four-month internship. When she graduated after 2006, she returned as a reporter at the station up to 2008 and soon became an anchor.
Her most embarrassing moments as an anchor? “That moment when you are chatting with your floor manager and boom you are back on television, or my tongue getting stuck and I just cannot pronounce a word right. I am praying television critics don’t catch on that. After the bulletins you get the funny feeling and you are like, ‘I should have said it better’,” she explains.
Away from anchoring news the anchor is National Advocacy and Communication officer of at Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention.
Terah Kaaya - Bukedde TV
He is simple and carries himself as a teacher – a profession he left for journalism.
He is one of the pioneer news anchors for Agataliiko Nfuufu news bulletins on Bukedde Television.
Before he joined Bukedde newspaper, he was a teacher
He would perhaps still be teaching but he was disappointed. “One time the headmaster gave us Shs10,000 to share amongst ourselves, 10 teachers. That is when I decided to go and study journalism,” he explains about his inspiration to become a journalist.
Today he knows better than to carry himself carelessly around, in public. “One time I went to Mulago Hospital and was in a line and one lady said that even those with money are now coming to ‘our hospitals’. She asked why I was going there and said I am part of the people who work in government and steal money. I felt embarrassed,” Kaya recalls one of his embarrassing moments.
Kaava is married with four children. “I am an outgoing person who likes going to La Bonita and Bat Valley,” he adds. He is a song writer and performer at Divine Harvesters Church
