At the self-baptized live command center NBS sits a humble and hardworking visionary lady with a great sense of humor. Doreen Komuhangi, a news anchor at NBS TV is a force to reckon with when it comes to news anchoring. The stunningly effortless diva sat down with our reporter Enywaru Pius and had a chat about her good (and of course bad) days at campus and her journey to TV.
How are you, how has your day been and how is the command Center?
I am good, my day has been good and the command center is commanding.
Have you only seen your hustle through the command center or?
I was at Record TV I must have been 19 years or something. While there I did a lot of shows and in a space of 8 months I had done close to 10 shows but when I finally landed on their morning show, that’s when NBS landed me.
Who is Doreen Komuhangi?
*Sighs and Smiles….Huh Doreen Komuhangi is a news reporter/Anchor at the command center that’s NBS, A mother of one. Recently had a baby …(what else do you want to know?, she interrupts)… everything! I reply) She’s currently in the media, a Journalist, soon to be married with big ambitions.
Well over to your campus life, do you mind sharing?
I was at UMCAT for two years. I did a journalism course and graduated from there. I will be joining Makerere University for International Relations which is my plan now. (she tries to remember the exact years she was there…..) Well I am not sure about exact years I was there but am guessing it was from 2013- 2015. Forgive my memory it goes when you give birth…(We both burst into laughter). UMCAT was really good back then and it has produced some really good people in the media. Including me..but I aim higher.
Why didn’t you go to a real University after you High School?
Yes, why I didn’t go to University because while I was in my form 6 vacation, I joined Dembe FM and while there, I was advised to purse a course in it. Because there is a way journalism gets you excited. I went for that course at UMCAT to get the practical skills.
Could you have gotten ‘horrible’ Marks at A’level that made you fail to advance to University?
*Quickly interrupts*…My A’level was amazing…..I got 19 points which could get me anywhere. And while still in vacation, I was told that UMCAT could give me the practical skills which I settled for.
While at UMCAT how as life like?
At UMCAT, I didn’t really have the time to spend so much on campus because I was working while studying. I spent little at campus because my life was and has always been working and working hard. I wouldn’t be the typical campus girl, for me it was strictly business.
My campus life was really boring and that’s the reason I’ve been dodging your interview because I felt I had not really much to talk about campus.
Did you get retakes while at Campus?
Nope! I’ve always been smart!….(Nah…I protest her claims)…Yes..Ask my lecturers, Baale Francis who unfortunately passed on. May his soul rest in peace but he was my lecturer. I never got any retakes.
So were you the girl with beauty and brains?
Surprisingly as it may sound, yes! I do have a lot of brains but of course the public finds it hard to attach beauty to brains. I was the brainy type trust me.
Did you get favors while at UMCAT?
Yes! I was the Miss UMCAT and I didn’t even contest. The lecturers and students felt that I could represent and they made me the miss. All the beauty crowns always came my way not because I was the most beautiful but because I was the beauty and brains type.
Were you the party animal type while at Campus or nuh?
No I didn’t party while at Campus. The first time I went out was to Guvnor which was two weeks back. That’s the first I went to a club and thanks to Dalton Kaweesa of the Morning Breeze. I had never been to a club and it was my first to go to Guvnor two weeks back. I hang out from home. Campus, I was never the hanging type.
Why is this?
Well for me I always had a different mindset and I kind of felt a mature lady at campus thus distanced myself a lot. While most girls thought about make-up, hanging out, I had bigger ambitions which I am starting to see and realize now. And I had to hustle for tuition because my mum was burden after I lost my dad.
You paid your own tuition?
Yeah I did. I never really paid because of a hard situation but I really felt I could. We were three at Campus at that time and she had the capacity to cater for our tuition but then I did it to help my mum offload the burden and she is proud of me now.
Did you ever run broke?
Yes I did run broke but kids never knew I was broke, they always thought I had money. Do I look money? *We both uncontrollably laugh about her question which I submissively agree to* I never lived a high-end life while at campus. I was saved from lunch woes because I used to attend evening lectures so lunch would be skipped. I wore not so expensive clothes and I so much relied on taxis and I was good to go
How did handle advances from men?
Well men were there, they are still there and they have to be there. I love being hit on but that doesn’t really matter to me. When it came to that, the ‘Mukiga’ in me often came out. I would be the straight-forward type who would tell them off.
On you dating while at Campus, was it love at first sight or nuh?
No really, for me it was not love at first sight. It was a gradual process. We discussed good issues and he was ambitious and that’s a factor that attracted me to him. We lived a mature ambition driven life because we never talked about clubbing, drinking but only constructive things. However at some point, we outgrew each other.
Talk about Doreen on TV
Well I joined in a rather funny way, because I had escorted a friend for a TV test. I ended up the one taking the job because the programs director chose me over my friend. After the first test, I was instantly given the job.
Did you ever eat a rolex while at Campus?
Yeah I did a rolex many times and some Kikomando. But I never liked the beans Kikomando and some of us would eat the meat kikomando. There was mama Obama who made these which we liked.
What has been your captivating moment at the Command Center, NBS?
I think the political season has really shaped us and taken us there as a media house. I think we are now the best media house although many don’t agree to it. Personally, joining the morning breeze for me was the thing. I’ve always wanted to be seen as a serious person.
So who’s the lucky man to father your Baby?
Well my baby is called Mushin and I will not be disclosing his dad’s name because we agreed on that publicity and he doesn’t want it. He’s a businessman, a serious man and a wonderful guy. He’s muslem too.
Will you be converting now that you are about to get married?
No. I will not convert. We both respect the gap that’ there. We shall remain the same way. The baby is muslim.
As a norm, are you comfortable with your Muslim man getting other women?
No! This is something we discussed and it’s a no from me. I’m not comfortable sharing my man. Ndi mukoddo, I don’t share my man. Talk about four women, I think I am four in one and he has it all here.
Whats you take on campus now and then?
Campus is really amazing now, and the students are smarter. The students are demanding for their rights. Kids are mature and their submissions are on point. We are growing as a country.
What’s you message to campus students?
The girls especially please focus, the small things don’t matter now. Today everyone wants someone and if you are not someone no one will take you. To the guys, the world out there is so hard.
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