Uganda, in the East African region, has one of the most liberal media landscapes with more than 5 newspapers, 40 free-to-air TV channels, and nearly 300 radio stations. Four media groups however stand out and possibly control more than 50% of the media landscape- both in audiences and revenues. They are the government-owned Vision Group and the privately held Nation Media Group, Next Media Services and Radio Africa Group Limited.
Nation Media Group, is the parent for Monitor Publications Limited which owns Daily/Saturday/Sunday Monitor newspapers as well as 90.4 Dembe FM radio, 93.3 KFM radio station, Daily Monitor e-paper, The Monitor E-paper app, and the Daily Monitor social media channels.
Monitor Publications as of the end of 2021 grossed UGX26.1 billion in turnover.
NMG owns a 76.5% stake in Monitor Publications Limited. The remaining stake is owned by Phillip Wafula Oguttu, David Ouma Balikoowa and the estate of the Late Richard Tebere- the three founders that are still shareholders. The other founding shareholders; Jimmy Serugo, Charles Onyango Obbo and Kevin Ogen Aliro (R.I.P) have since sold of their stakes to pursue other interests.
How it all started
Dissatisfied attempts to clamp down on free speech by the government as well by the owners of the Weekly Topic- then a thriving independently owned newspaper, six staffers- Jimmy Serugo, Richard Tebere (R.I.P), Kevin Ogen Aliro (R.I.P), Phillip Wafula Oguttu, Charles Onyango Obbo and David Ouma Balikowa walked out to form their own publishing company- Monitor Publications Limited. Their flagship product was The Monitor newspaper.
Because Wafula, had had significant experience as an Editor and manager as well as more connections in Uganda and abroad, the sextet elected to make him the founding Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief.
The rise of Uganda’s largest independent media house
Waf, as he was known in the newsroom and media circles, steered the paper’s growth, against several storms and intolerance by the government. As the operating environment became more complex and an opportunity arose, in 1999 the founders agreed to sell 60% of the business to the out-of-Nairobi Nation Media Group. It was also agreed that the founding shareholders, would retain management control for the first 3 years of the merger after which NMG, would take over.
In 2001 the company also opened its own radio station- MonitorFM which has since been rebranded to 93.3 KFM.
Waf, would lead the new entity until 2004, and was replaced by Conrad Nkutu.
By the time Wafula left, gross revenue was at UGX11.3 billion, a record for a company that had started, with virtually nothing. At the time, The Monitor newspaper sold between 19,000-20,000 copies daily.
When NMG took over the management of the company, Kevin Ogen Aliro then sold his stake to NMG and moved on to start The Observer newspaper. Charles Onyango Obbo was also transferred to Nairobi’s NMG offices. He also sold his stake in the company.
More importantly than the financial achievements of Monitor Publications, the company has until today been the voice of the voiceless and a major check on government excesses. It has also shaped and trained hundreds of journalists who have gone on to change the world in several ways and spheres.
But who is Wafula Oguttu, the man?
Waf, was never born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Very far from that, he was born on the night of December 21, 1952 in the bushes of present-day Butaleja District, in Eastern Uganda.
He was born to a Samia World War ll veteran, Wafula Olago Sidubula and his lovely wife, Lucia Nahaabi Agutu , in a makeshift hut in the bushes of Butaleja where his father then worked with a borehole drilling company.
The Samia are a Bantu tribe living in Eastern Uganda and Western Kenya.
Apparently, his name “Oguttu” in the Samia culture is given to someone born on the veranda or in the garden behind a house.
Wafula Snr would depart this earth, 8 years later, when the young and bright Wafula was in Primary Two, leaving him, in his words, to “survive mercifully, in a rough world, under the care of a peasant mum”.
Wafula grew up with five sisters and three brothers. Because he was a bright student, he studied for free from primary to university despite being from a poverty-stricken family.
He attended Lumino Mill Hill Primary School, Bukedi College Kachonga, and Teso College Aloet for his primary and secondary education respectively. In 1974, he received a Diploma in Chinese Language from the Beijing Language Institute. He also went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Political Economy degree from Beijing University. He also completed a postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Cardiff, amongst other qualifications.
He started his working career as a banking assistant at the Bank of Uganda. While in Tanzania, he worked as an editor for a Tanzania publishing house from 1977 until 1979. In 1979, Wafula returned home to work as an assistant editor and then chief editor for Weekly Topic, an English-language newspaper, from 1979 until 1992. He also served as an assistant lecturer at Makerere University between 1981 and 1985.
In 1992, he would, together with 5 ex-Weekly Topic staff, move on to found Monitor Publications Limited. He became the paper’s Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, until 2004.
Wafula the Politician
Waf, had always been a politician at heart who initially used his writing skills and platforms to push for change and a better Uganda.
In a recent recount of his life, Wafula described himself on his Facebook page, as a “silent contributor to East Africa’s struggles for freedom and democracy, as an activist” who also “served with Uganda’s democracy-seeking forces.”
In the late 1980s, he held his first political office as an LCI Councillor for Nakawa Division. When the government tried to influence his political columns in the early 1990s and curtail his work, he resigned from Weekly Topic in 1992.
When he quit Monitor Publications in 2004, he joined hands with Colonel (retired) Kiiza Besigye to co-found the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) which has gone on to become one of Uganda’s largest opposition parties. He would be a long-time spokesperson of the party.
He ran for run for parliamentary office in 2006 on the FDC ticket, in the constituency of Bukhooli Country Central but lost. In the 2011 general election, he stood for the same seat and won. On 31 January 2014, he was appointed the Leader of the Opposition in parliament. He also sat on the appointments, business and Information and Communication Technology committees of Parliament.
He however failed to retain his parliamentary seat, in the 2016 general election.
Summarising his life recently on his Facebook page, to celebrate turning 70 years, Waf said: “I looked after cattle (not ours) as unpaid child labour, trapped birds for proteins, taught in primary, secondary and university. I have done research, lived and studied cultures of Tanzania, Kenya, China, Britain and Korea, lived in exile, done underground political work, edited books, served long in journalism, contributed towards the development of the mainstream media, fought for Uganda’s media freedom, quality, unity and respect”.
“I silently contributed to East Africa’s struggles for freedom and democracy, as an activist, served with Uganda’s democracy-seeking forces, contributed to the fight against corruption, in all its forms, contributed to the formation of several civil society organisations (CSOs) to benefit the poorest of the poor, contributed materially towards the education of many poor children, invested and contributed towards the development of Uganda’s quality basic education and contributed towards increasing safe water coverage in Bugiri District”.
“I remain indebted to all those who touched my life positively and kept a sober, analytical head that detests injustice, unfairness and oppression. I have done my bit- what God wanted me to do within the biblical 70 years, with no major health issues! Now, I will largely devote my bonus years to the family, to Alice (his wife), the children, grandchildren and the disadvantaged elderly in the Sanika- Namuganza , Bugiri, neighbourhood,” he details his retirement plans.
A true man of all seasons; and a wise man from the East!