By Our Reporters
NBS Proprietor Dr. Kin Kariisa has refuted reports that popular analyst Tamale Mirundi might protest Simon Muyanga’s exit by abandoning his weekly talk show that NBS airs twice a week. “Tamale Mirundi isn’t going anywhere because he has a very strong relationship with the Political Command Center and has started off well today [Tuesday] with [Muyanga’s replacement] Kazibwe Bashir,” Kariisa said in a phone chat with this news website. He said there can’t be any anxiety at the Political Command Center because Muyanga’s departure was communicated on good time and contingent plans were made by management to ensure continuity even after him. “In fact we are certain the show is even going to become bigger and its viewership is no doubt going to grow because Kazibwe Bashir is also coming with his own strengths including being very good at research. Even Tamale Mirundi has liked him from day one and it can only get better the more they get used to each other.” A news report by Nile Post published earlier today Tuesday shows that Bashir Kazibwe’s maiden show with Mirundi was received with enthusiasm by the views who are quoted to have expressed their optimism for a bigger and more interactive show through the different social media platforms. The Tuesday show saw Mirundi give his views on many things including Balaam Barugahare’s attempts to suffocate Bobi Wine and his People Power Movement. Mirundi says until Balaam took this futile step going for open confrontation with Bobi, he used to think he was a very intelligent man. “This move can’t diminish Bobi Wine’s political relevancy and I’m sure it’s a gimmick to eat money from the President but it won’t work because the Museveni I know doesn’t fumble nor gamble,” Mirundi said. “They don’t know what they are dealing with. There is this man who mimics me but does that make him become Mirundi? There is Mendo who mimics Museveni but does he become the President by doing that? The leadership is in the person and not mere slogans like People Power. Museveni operated as FRONASA in the 1970s and then in 1980s he changed to UPM and later NRM under which he became President in 1986. Why would the names keep changing if indeed it’s what matters?” Mirundi advised the likes of Balaam to reflect on the history of Express FC which he said was banned by Central Province Governor Abdullah Nassur in 1978 but the club only became more popular “but when time came, it became stale and died a natural death so even Bobi Wine will fizzle out at his own time and not because of Balaam’s efforts.” He likened Bobi Wine to witchcraft which remained deeply rooted in hearts of people in communities which practice it despite efforts by the colonialists to ban it in order to promote Christianity. He also showed his contempt for Abed Bwanika’s DP bloc efforts to zone Uganda for purposes of 2021 saying it will fail because its perpetrators are money-minded just out to help ease the job for Museveni to kill off opposition. “Your problem is not uniting because even when you add up your votes, Museveni still beats you,” Mirundi said advising Bobi Wine to keep his distance from the Bwanikas because starting organized politics now will only make it easier for Museveni to buy off all Baganda politicians trying to gather around the so-called DP bloc. Praising Gen Mugisha Muntu as the only man that can threaten Museveni, Mirundi said “you can’t build politics of the DP bloc by basing on Ganda tribalism because even in Buganda, the Baganda aren’t the majority anymore.” He said the fact that Bwanika’s defection to DP couldn’t even make one news headline or cause any public debate is indicative of how insignificant Bwanika & Co are in Uganda’s politics. “The media writes about stuff which sells and the way they have given you a contempt card is proof your politics is none starter and the public isn’t demanding news about you,” Mirundi said advising genuine DP supporters not to be excited by Bwanika’s return to DP because he won’t add anything to the party beyond addressing reporters at DP headquarters.
ABOUT KAZIBWE
One NBS social media follower described Kazibwe as “a knowledgeable and very insightful journalist who can productively host Mirundi because he has the depth, the composure and doesn’t easily get intimidated.” Another NBS social media follower referred to the prudence with which Kazibwe conducts the Sunday evening show “Ensi N’ebyayo” with Dr. AA Kariisa to conclude he will equally do a good job hosting Mirundi. He wrote: “Today I was eager to see his execution and indeed he was flawless from the start, quick witted too. He gave Tamale no room to wander around a million topics by focusing him on the intended discussion. I can say the show is now in very good hands and without a doubt is going to become more analytical, interesting and you could read it from the controversial politician Mirundi.” He concluded by stating that the limited doubts he had as to whether anyone would fit into Muyanga’s shoes are totally gone now having seen Kazibwe Bashir’s performance on first day. Joseph Mwebaze is another of the very many ardent NBS viewers who generously rated Kazibwe Bashir’s performance on the first day with Mirundi. Gratefully, Bashir Kazibwe had previously stood in for Muyanga whenever he was away and unable to make it for one reason or another. Renowned for his investigative pieces mostly on Bukedde radio, Kazibwe boasts of 10 years of a very productive journalism practice that has seen him previously work for Ssuubi fm, Voice of Africa, Pearl fm among other media stations. He was also part of the team that produced Mengo-owned Edoboozi newspaper which filled the information vacuum created by the 2009 closure of CBS fm by government in the Kayunga riots aftermath. Kazibwe is also the proprietor of Nyce online radio and Greenfield Media Academy. He is one of the few scribes who read widely to remain abreast with current affairs and millions of NBS viewers are convinced this and other credentials make him a perfect choice to replace Muyanga. One on One with Tamale Mirundi airs every Tuesday 9-11am and its currently rated one of the most anticipated and watched shows of the week despite the fact that it falls at a time when many more would-be viewers are away for work. The NBS management caters for such working viewers by having a repeat at 11pm. We also separately established that what became the NBS Political Command Center evolved from TV equipment that initially belonged to the Madhvani Group. From the Madhvani Group, Igeme Nabeta bought the equipment which he piloted by running a music only TV channel which went into conventional programming when the Kariisas came on board. It was with the Kariisas that the license for proper TV programming was acquired from UCC and Igeme stayed with the team and only quit when it came to time to invest and expand the business and he opted out because he wasn’t ready to part with cash for reinvestment to expand the station into a modern TV station capable of competing with NTV and others that had started earlier.
