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WHAT'S UP!

I still remember hearing the song Video Killed the Radio Star sometime in the 80s, and wondering what the fuss was all about. We didn’t have much video then, in Uganda, and radio was the main source of entertainment.

Still, there were no real radio stars. What I remember was Andy Simon Kaweesa, who played music for about two hours on Saturday morning; and the dude who presented the Karimojong programme on Sunday afternoons. We didn’t even know his name, but liked the music he played.

So, the idea of radio stars was strange to us, although that old song had a catchy tune to it and stuck in one’s head.

It wasn’t till the 90s when private FM stations came into being that we had actual radio stars. Last week on Tuesday was World Radio Day, so how about reminiscing about radio in Uganda and the journey we have travelled with it?

Strange, but I don’t remember much about the early days of private FM radio in Uganda. In an article written in 2008 by then Sanyu FM head John Katto for the City Beat magazine to celebrate 15 years of FM radio, he recounted down in exciting detail the hours that led to the launch on December 18, 1993.

What I remember is that on Christmas we had Alex Ndawula on the day airwaves; Capital Radio then came on air on New Year’s Eve, but they had presenters mainly from Radio Uganda and no one bothered to listen to them.

It would take a few months, and for Alex to move to Capital around April of 1994 before they caught our attention. Alex, after all, was our boy, so we went with him.

The history of radio in Uganda is really about the presenters (or DJs as we like to call them) and over the years they have come and gone. Some left a lasting impression, some left with just a whimper.

Gloria Kamba (Radio Sanyu) was one of the first breakfast show hosts and probably defined what it would be like for the rest. But it was when she moved to the mid-morning show, Intimate Connection, that she really made her mark.

For a long time that mid-morning show was the best that Sanyu had to offer. Other presenters would host it, with Angella Kalule also one of the more memorable ones.

I have no idea why the breakfast show is such a big deal on radio, but we have had some good teams. Alex Ndawula and Christine Mawadri’s pairing beats them all, in my opinion, they brought so much energy and innovation that everyone else just tried to emulate them.

Sanyu’s trio of Seanice, Allan Kasujja and James Onen (later joined by Melanie when Allan left) is also quite memorable.

In the late 90s, a young university lad calling himself Dr Jazz made us listen to Sanyu on Sunday afternoons. Allan ‘Cantankerous’ Mugisa would later make a lasting impression on radio, although his brilliance was tapered by his chaotic lifestyle, which led to an untimely early death eventually.

Christine would later move to the evening show and again define what others would follow. She really is one of the best radio people we have ever had.

One can argue that Peter Ssematimba had the greatest influence during those early days of radio; he had a hand in shaping Capital Radio into the urban station it would become, then left to found CBS FM. After being forced out of CBS, he formed Super FM and is still going strong.

Ssematimba broke many taboos, including introducing sex talk on live radio. All these sengas and kojjas making the rounds would probably still be in some closet if it wasn’t for Ssematimba.

With the death of Alex Ndawula in 2022, Elvis ‘RS’ (Rhythm Selector) Kalema became the longest-serving radio presenter in Uganda. Starting at Radio Sanyu in 1994 while still a student, he later moved to Radio One and he is still there: an astonishing 30 years later! Flavia Tumusiime started on radio as a 17-year-old and she is still going strong at Capital Radio, where she hosts the Desert Island Discs programme.

Rasta Rob is another one who started with Sanyu FM at its inception, but really made his mark at CBS. A stint in the UK probably dimmed his status, but he later came back and joined Ssematimba at Super FM. In his heyday at CBS, he was probably the most popular presenter in Uganda.

Chris Ireland, along with Alex, were the first voices on commercial FM radio on that afternoon of December 18, 1993. After a journey that included leading a band for more than 10 years. Chris is back at Sanyu, as the general manager.

There have been hundreds of presenters at the bigger stations and sadly we cannot mention all. But big shout-outs to all those who have been part of our lives for all these years, and we shall pour a libation to the ghosts of radio past, present and future.

Twitter: @KalungiKabuye