By Mulengera Reporters
In a fresh escalation of the ongoing clampdown on illegal broadcasting, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) enforcement team, backed by officers from the Uganda Police and the UPDF, swooped down on Mawokota FM this week, a radio station broadcasting on 94.9 FM in Kayabwe Town Council, Mpigi District.
The station, reportedly owned by Mr. Ssali Umar, a 2026 aspiring LC5 councillor for Kayabwe Town Council who uses a radio symbol as his political emblem, was found operating without a valid broadcasting licence. The operation unfolded with a mix of tension, defiance and confusion as UCC officials attempted to engage with the station’s staff and establish the whereabouts of the manager.
Upon arrival at the premises located in Nabusanke village, the enforcement team found a young lady at the reception desk, surrounded by several men and women. These individuals, it was later learned, were members of the Mawokota FM fans club who had gathered for what they described as a meeting.
Mr. Denis Okalanga, the UCC enforcement team leader, introduced himself and asked the receptionist (later identified as Namawanda Doreen) about the manager’s whereabouts. However, the young lady remained mute and unresponsive, ignoring the official’s questions despite even after he had identified himself and disclosed why they were here. When the team asked to be shown where the transmitter was located, she flatly refused to cooperate.
As Mr. Okalanga continued attempting to reason with her at the front desk, UCC’s technical team and other members of the enforcement unit moved around the building and managed to locate the transmitter after a brief search. The broadcasting signal was switched off, and the team made their way into the studio.
Inside the on-air studio, a live sports program titled Olutindo Lw’ebyemizannyo (The Sports Bridge) was in progress. A 23-year-old presenter, Mubarak Ssebuwufu, was on the microphone, alongside three other men and a young woman.
Ssebuwufu, who appeared visibly shaken by the sudden interruption, told the enforcement officers that he had only worked at Mawokota FM for two months and claimed he was unaware that the station was operating illegally.
The team proceeded to dismantle and confiscate broadcasting equipment, including the transmitter, a small audio mixer, a computer and the antenna.
Back at the reception, tensions continued to rise. Namawanda remained on her phone throughout the operation, ignoring the team’s repeated attempts to engage her. She also attempted to walk out of the room, prompting the security officer in command to sternly order her to stay seated.
Okalanga warned that while the operation was not intended to result in arrests, continued arrogance and non-cooperation could warrant her detention, words which seemed to finally have registered.
Shaken by the confrontation, Namawanda revealed that she had never seen a license at the station and was aware that it likely did not exist. When asked to identify which of the people present were official radio presenters, she initially claimed that none of them were.
According to her, all individuals at the premises were members of the fans club who had come for a scheduled meeting.
This response sparked frustration among the security operatives, who questioned how the radio could be broadcasting live if there were no presenters.
When pressed further, Namawanda finally pointed to Ssebuwufu and admitted he had been in the studio during the program. She claimed he was merely engaging with fans (the ones he had been found with in studio) on air, doing sports commentary.
Speaking to our reporters, Ssebuwufu (visibly shaken) said he was unaware of the station’s licensing status. The enforcement team took time to explain the risks of working for unlicensed broadcasters, warning that such actions could land him (and others like him) in legal trouble.
However, given his junior position and apparent ignorance of the station’s legal status, the officers issued a stern warning and let him go, cautioning that future involvement with illegal stations would not be taken lightly.
Among the individuals at the scene was Mr. John Mulasa, one of the station’s fans club mobilizers. He expressed disappointment over the closure, calling it a setback not just for the fans but the broader community.
According to Mulasa, the station had offered several community-oriented services, including free public announcements (especially during bereavement) and mobilization efforts for local development, leadership engagements and security awareness campaigns.
“The station had become a voice for the people. We used it to mobilize our communities for many useful causes. This closure is a big loss,” Mulasa told Mulengera News, adding that the fans would soon hold a meeting with the station management to determine a way forward and explore possible avenues for engaging the UCC to have the station restored.
Namawanda later revealed to reporters that Mawokota FM had been on air for nearly eight months, although she herself had only worked there for about three months. She also revealed to our team, and that of UCC that the station was employing thirteen (13) people (working both on and off air). Her initial resistance, she admitted, stemmed from fear and uncertainty during the surprise raid.
As the operation drew to a close, the UCC team allowed her to speak to her boss, Mr. Ssali Umar, using her mobile phone. One of the UCC officers briefly engaged with Mr. Ssali and advised him to follow up on the matter with the Commission’s head office in Bugolobi, Kampala, where the confiscated equipment was to be taken.
Later, speaking to this publication, Mr. Ssali (who confirmed that his radio station had been shutdown, admitting illegal broadcasting) emphasized that he is now working tooth and nail to resolve the matter with UCC and ensure that the radio returns to air legally.
Sources indicate that Mawokota FM had never applied for a license and had continued to operate illegally despite the Commission’s repeated public awareness campaigns and enforcement operations conducted in other parts of the country. The raid on Mawokota FM marks yet another phase in UCC’s stepped-up efforts to rid Uganda’s airwaves of illegal broadcasters, many of whom are tied to political interests or commercial ventures that knowingly flout licensing requirements.
The Tuesday operation, executed swiftly and without incident of violence, is a continuation of UCC’s renewed commitment to enforcing broadcasting laws. The Commission has maintained that every station (regardless of its ownership, size or popularity) must comply with the law.
So far, several radio stations across the country have been switched off in recent months, all for failure to obtain or renew their operating licenses. UCC has consistently emphasized that while the Commission welcomes the growth of community radio and local content, no broadcaster will be allowed to operate outside the law.
The enforcement team departed with the seized equipment, leaving behind a visibly shaken staff and a group of confused and disappointed fans club members. No arrests were made, although stern warnings were issued on site. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
