Scandal has rocked Next Media as two of its prominent faces, Zambaali Bulasio Mukasa and Victoria Bagaaya, have been yanked off air after publicly declaring their political ambitions! The duo, who have graced Ugandan screens for years, have been shown the exit—at least for now—after the media house ruled that their open partisanship violates its editorial policies.
Insiders whisper that senior management didn’t take kindly to their political aspirations being paraded before the public. Sources tell us that Zambaali and Bagaaya were quietly asked to step back before being unceremoniously suspended. Just how long they will be off air remains a mystery, with murmurs suggesting it could be an indefinite hiatus! However, we are reliably informed that they are still officially employees of Next Media—though in what capacity, no one seems to know.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT?
Zambaali, who joined NBS in 2019 from CBS, made a name for himself anchoring the Luganda news bulletin Amasengejje and later hosting the hard-hitting political show Barometer. But his recent appearance at a National Unity Platform (NUP) rally in Kawempe set tongues wagging. With a microphone in hand, he declared, “In times like these, I cannot remain neutral.” A bold statement—but one that may have cost him dearly!
On the other hand, Bagaaya, a fixture at NBS since 2014, has also been eyeing a seat in Parliament. While Zambaali wants to clinch the MP seat for Nansana Municipality under the NUP banner, Bagaaya has her sights on the Fort Portal Woman MP position. Her political affiliation is shrouded in secrecy, but sources say she is an NRM loyalist. Could that be why Next Media decided to act fast?
NEXT MEDIA SPEAKS OUT!
In a bid to control the growing storm, Next Media’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Desire Derekford Mugumisa, issued a carefully worded statement on X (formerly Twitter).
“For Next Media as an independent media house, non-partisanship is essential for us to effectively inform to Transform. These same policies have led to various levels of reprimands for those of us engaging in partisan politics,” he wrote.
Translation? Stick to reporting the news, not making it!
With elections around the corner, media personalities moonlighting as politicians could be the start of a growing trend. But at what cost? Will Zambaali and Bagaaya fight for their right to political expression, or will they fade into the background while others take their place on the airwaves? Only time will tell!
Stay tuned as we dig deeper into this unfolding drama!
