BBS Telefayina loyalists have a reason to smile just days after their best Luganda news anchor was signed out by media mogul Kin Kariisa of the Next Media Services brand and unveiled early this week.
We have learnt that after a long period of negotiations, veteran journalist Sir Simon Muyanga Lutaaya formerly known for his popular NBS Television show with President Museveni’s media advisor Tamale Mirundi has agreed to step in and fill the gap left by Zambali Bulasio at Mengo.BBS plans to unveil Simon Muyanga Lutaaya early August as Bulasio Zambali begins his career with NBS Television. Lutaaya is likely to help in the administration and management of BBS’ news department and host some of the station’s political shows.
Muyanga a former host of the One on one show with Tamale Mirundi at NBS TV resigned some months back under unknown circumstances but word has been going around that he gave in to political ‘mafia’ that later dumped him. He has always denied any links with the city mafia saying the word is simply stuck in Tamale Mirundi’s vocabulary. He has been rumored to be politicking for an MP slot in the next Parliament and is running model campaign projects like fish farming to convince his voters. Muyanga who likes being saluted as “Sir” is said to have earlier refused to bounce back into television until he met Mengo Premier Charles Peter Mayiga and penned a deal.
While Bulasio Zambali is new at NBS,Muyanga Lutaaya is not new at Mengo where he cut his teeth in the media and has always remained in tough with his mentors. Infact, Tamale Mirundi once tried to fight him during a live show over his links with Mengo’s Kiwalabye Male of the Buganda Land Board accusing the veteran journalist of getting money to fight him.
NBS has always fished from Mengo much earlier that it did with other media houses. Irene Nakamatte,Bushrah Namirimu,Katabira Daniel and Muyanga Lutaaya left CBS radio to join NBS Television at its inception over the years has made Mengo a training and poaching ground where he has poached a number of journalists.Mengo could later hire Kin Kariisa’s strongman Joe Kigozi as pioneer CEO before they realized he only made physical presence at Bulange but remained emotionally at Kamwokya where is bounced back to deputize Kariisa.Is BBS hiring Muyanga to revenge for the signing of their top gun?
The signing of Zambali by NBS and Muyanga Lutaaya’s joining of BBS will be interesting developments in the industry where competition is cut throat. Efforts to talk to Muyanga were futile as his known phone contacts remained off the whole weekend. Watch this space.
