{UAH} Going Down Memory Lane: Evolution of FM Radios in Uganda and entertainment Stars of yesteyears

A letter from Najjera ✍️

Sunday, 12th May, 2024

The year 1994 seems like yesterday the dapper politician, radio entrepreneur-cum-evangelist completely changed the radio reception on Frequency modulation (FM) and the music industry at large with an urbane feel and touch! His name is Peter (he prefers pronounced it as ''Piira'') Ssematimba 

He always dressed in his signature sharp suits, wore those trademark Round-lensed eye glasses over his eyes and spoke with a cut-glass West Coast/Pacific Coast Accent.

  

Thirty years ago, Ssematimba had it in him to be the agent of change in the music industry. Most will remember him as the crown prince of the burgeoning FM industry and the straight-talking Agony Uncle dispensing relationship and health advice on the candid Capital Doctor show at Bowman's building based Capital Radio 91.3 FM, along Parliament Avenue in Kampala during it's nascent days.

 

Outside his on-air schedule, Ssematimba ran the Dungeon Studio in Makindye, positioning it as a talent incubator for the new wave of the urban pop sound that was sweeping across Kampala at the time. His agenda at the time was to balance out the onslaught of radio hits from Ace of Base and Boys II Men with songs that we could call our own. That 1994 year gave us parallel local hits like Perfect Generation's "Kakokolo", Simon Base Kalema's "Omukwano Muzibu", Terry Divos Atwooki of "Owundikwenda" fame, Sematimba's own "Baby Kyana", the late MC Afrique's "Watoto w'Africa", Ken Serukenya's "Everything" and girl duo Prim n' Propa's "Why".

Any musician worth their salt knows the importance of crafting a radio hit. Ssematimba always had the city folks putting their lives on hold and tuning in to his ''Gems at Eight" show on the nights he announced a new hit from Dungeon Studios. Given his nose for talent and strong business sense at the time, Ssematimba had it in him to give us our own Motown-type record label.

 

And 30 years down the road, the nation would have boasted a structured music industry with production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion of musical works, a far cry from the chaotic situation we have today.

Ssematimba probably beats himself up for taking his eye off the ball thereby letting unprofessional fat cats to skim off the talent of today's crop of musicians. The industry is in a lurch, one in which lip-synching artistes are glorified over those that can genuinely carry a tune.

Ssematimba can still offer the music industry its much-needed redemption with his earlier shot at an elective office that of Member of Parliament MP for Busiro South constituency in 2021, the second after his failed bid for Kampala's mayoral race in 2011.

But who and where are the stars he mentored. I can ably identify some, not all of them.

From left to right is Daniel Kazibwe aka Ragga D  (dark shades and a Jean's shirt) revered to be the grand father of Ragga genre in Uganda. Ragga D tried his luck at city mayoral race but lost to Erias Lukwago some years ago, now days, he is into private business, Brenda Z'Obbo she at one time worked at Radio One's FM 90 hosting "Good time's show" and "Hello Uganda'' - a Sunday evening program on the same station. She lator relocated to Nairobi, Kenya and worked at Capital FM Nairobi years ago nothing much is known about her these days, Steve Jean a musician, a music producer, promoter, manager of artistes that comprised of Cindy Sanyu, Jackie Chandiru and Lillian Mbabazi formerly of Black Ladies from Uganda aka---- *Blu 3, now days he manages another all girls group Warafiki, fenon records an events company that recently provided modern sound and lighting to last Friday's show of Ray G at Cricket Oval, Lugogo that was a major success, Roger Mugisha aka Shadow once worked as a radio host at Sanyu FM hosting late night's show "The quiet storm", managed shadows Angels, lator recalled back to at Sanyu FM as a Programs Director---PD and a part-time a pastor.Then, the main man himself Pirra Ssese...Ssese Ssematimba in a checked jacket former MP for Busiro South (2021) and owner of Rubaga based Super 88.5 FM, next to him is Lillian Butele  of "prim 'n Propa" fame, her and Brenda Z'Obbo were singing together as a duo. She is an author now, relocated to Canada and started a family there. Nothing much is known about her, next to her is Terry Divos who left Uganda many years ago he is  either in the UK or US, next to him is Robert Ogwal aka Rasta Rob MC. In his hey days he worked  at Sanyu FM on the "evening drive show", lator went CBS FM,Mengo before flying out of Uganda to the UK where he spent a couple of years before returning home. Now a retired radioman but occasionally called upon to MC and play oldies music at Gaucho's Grill at Bwebajja, Entebbe road(sometime ago), and at Star View Hotel in Kansanga, a city suburb.

This photo was taken at Dungeon Studios in Rubaga, Kampala in 1994.

#jaqs_chronicles🔵❤️

#photooftheday #picoftheday #goodmorning #oldisgold  #fmradio  #memories #sundayvibes #fypシ゚viralシ #viralreels #instagood #insta #love #good #fypシ゚ #instadaily #instagram

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