Allan Kasujja
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I After more than a decade shaping global conversations from the studios of the BBC World Service, veteran broadcaster Allan Kasujja is returning home to take on one of the most influential communication roles in government, following his appointment as Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre.
Kasujja, who left the BBC in August 2025 after 13 years, served as a senior presenter on the flagship Newsday programme and as host of the widely followed Africa Daily podcast. From London, he interviewed presidents, diplomats, analysts and activists, positioning African stories within a global news agenda and sharpening a broadcast style known for clarity, calm authority and international reach.
President Yoweri Museveni has now tapped that global media exposure as Uganda prepares for a politically sensitive period ahead of the 2026 general elections. In a letter dated December 27, 2025, addressed to the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the President directed the Minister of Information and Communication Technology and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, to appoint Kasujja to the post.
“I was not aware of the ongoing manoeuvres. However, some weeks ago, we discussed the idea of Allan Kasujja with you. I have already directed Dr Chris Baryomunsi to appoint Allan Kasujja as Executive Director of the Media Centre. We can then look at the others,” Museveni wrote.
The President added in a further directive: “By copy of this letter, I direct Dr Chris Baryomunsi to initiate the procedures for appointing Allan Kasujja and, additionally, assessing others who could serve as Deputy.”
Kasujja replaces Ofwono Opondo, who resigned in April 2025 after declaring his intention to pursue elective politics. Opondo has since been elected unopposed as Member of Parliament representing Older Persons for Eastern Uganda, closing a long chapter at the Media Centre that often placed him at the centre of combative political messaging.
Sources familiar with the appointment say Kasujja’s international broadcast pedigree proved decisive, particularly amid competition from officials who had lobbied for the job. Among them were Obed Katureebe, the acting head of the Government Communication Centre, and Duncan Abigaba, a former deputy director at the Government Citizen Interaction Centre, who reportedly sought an audience with the President.
Kasujja’s career, however, did not begin abroad. He rose to prominence during Uganda’s media liberalisation of the 1990s, cutting his teeth at Sanyu FM before moving to Capital FM Uganda, where he became a familiar radio voice. He later crossed into television, becoming a household name as the host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Uganda, a role he has held since 2011.
He also played a historic role in Uganda’s political communication when he co-moderated the 2016 presidential debate, the first of its kind in the country’s electoral history—an experience that bridged journalism, governance and public accountability.
Government media guru
Kasujja’s appointment comes amid growing scrutiny of his recent social media commentary, which critics say has increasingly leaned toward government-aligned positions. In the run-up to the January 15 vote, his online posts frequently echoed official narratives and portrayed him as politically close to Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, whom the President referenced as part of earlier discussions on the Media Centre leadership.
As Executive Director, Kasujja will serve as the government’s chief spokesperson, tasked with articulating and defending state positions across local and international media platforms. His move from global journalism to government communication underscores a strategic shift—placing international media sophistication at the centre of Uganda’s public messaging at a time of heightened political attention.
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