• Veteran journalist Frank Walusimbi has revealed how he coined the iconic name NTV Akawungeezi, now synonymous with Luganda-language television news in Uganda. 
  • During brainstorming sessions, Frank suggested the name Akawungeezi, a word that refers to early evening or sunset in Luganda—perfect for the station’s evening news slot. Other suggestions like Ekiro were floated, but Akawungeezi stood out and was ultimately chosen.

Former NTV news presenter Frank Walusimbi shared how he came up with the popular name NTV Akawungeezi for the news segment. Walusimbi mentioned that he was among the first presenters at the Nation Media Group-owned television station.

He recalled writing news for a newspaper when NTV announced job openings, prompting him to attend interviews with numerous other candidates.

Looking back at his initial experience at the station, he noted that they had limited equipment at their disposal.

However, training began with staff members from Kenya, and during this time, he met notables like Maurice Mugisha, who was then anchoring at WBS. Walusimbi collaborated with Faridah Nakazibwe, Jjingo Francis, and other news anchors who later established themselves in the industry.

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Together with Nakazibwe, they formed a group where they offered to deliver news in both English and Luganda. Walusimbi added that the TV management was initially reluctant to broadcast news in Luganda, but eventually relented.

To differentiate their approach, Faridah and Walusimbi decided to be inventive. After brainstorming, Frank suggested the name Akawungeezi, believing it would resonate broadly. Other names, such as ‘Ekiro,’ were suggested, but his proposal ultimately emerged as the favorite.

The news program was accompanied by a theme song that gained significant popularity, and it became a benchmark for future Luganda news segments.

Walusimbi expressed that he was weary of the typical format where news anchors sat behind desks, leading him and Faridah to opt for a more dynamic presentation style, which resulted in significant success.

Notably, Frank departed from NTV several years ago to focus on his personal projects, while Faridah also left the Serena Hotel-based TV station about a year ago.