By Andrew Irumba
It’s no longer a rumour, it’s now confirmed that for the very first time in its history, local Television station, NBS TV will host Uganda’s number one citizen, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in an exclusive interview.
Spy Uganda can confirm that, the president’s maiden exclusive interview with the Kamwokya based local TV station which was recorded at state lodge Nakasero last week will air out on Monday February 4th, 2019 at 9pm.
NBS TV’s anchor and senior security reporter Sheila Tusiime Mugisha, we’ve confirmed took the charge of the president for an exclusive one hour debate where, together they toured a number of social economic and political issues.
During the said interview, Museveni would discuss among other pertinent national issues, especially the achievements of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), now that they’ve just celebrated NRA/M day, and with Tarehe Sita just around the corner.
According to our source, the President talked about how the youth can play a fundamental role in the development of any community.
Spy Uganda has further learnt that president Museveni will also discuss national security, the state of Uganda’s economy, land issues and other matters affecting Ugandans.
This however, comes as a surprise to many, especially those who thought the president was not on good terms with NBS TV and its management. It should be recalled that the president a few moths ago lashed out at NBS TV’s senior reporter Joseph Sabiti for reporting ‘negatively’ about Government. Sabiti was reportedly banned from covering any function at State House after he faced tough times with the president when he faced the other side of Muzei Amos Kaguta’s son.
Next media’s CEO Kin Kariisa on phone confirmed that the president would be hosted and would be requested to respond to a ‘bee hive’ of questions that Ugandans have been longing to hear his responses.
Yoweri Museveni, born 15 September 1944 has been Uganda’s president since 1986 after commanding a rebellion that toppled notorious Ugandan leaders Idi Amin (1971–79) and Milton Obote (1980–85) before capturing power.
Between the 1980s and mid late 1990s, Museveni was celebrated by the West as part of a ‘new generation’ of African leaders after he ‘diagnosed’ Africa’s problem as being leaders who don’t want to leave power. Museveni has so far led for 33 un interrupted years, the longest ever in the history of the independent Uganda.
However, in his 33 year rule, Uganda has experienced relative peace and significant success in battling HIV/AIDS. At the same time, Uganda remains a country suffering from high levels of corruption, unemployment and poverty.
Museveni’s presidency has been marred by involvement in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other Great Lakes region conflicts; the rebellion in Northern Uganda by the Lord’s Resistance Army which caused a drastic humanitarian emergency; and the suppression of political opposition and constitutional amendments scrapping presidential term limits (2005) and the presidential age limit (2017), thus enabling the extension of his rule.
These have been a concern to domestic and foreign commentators. We wait to see how he will respond to some of these concerns, so miss this conversation at your own peril, this Monday at 9pm.
