Who is Frank Walusimbi? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, achievements, and relationship with Flavia, Ashurah, Solomon Kaweesa, and Faridah Nakazibwe and the early life and education of the current Associate Communications Officer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Frank Walusimbi is a journalist, reporter, news anchor and show host from Uganda.
He was the pioneer anchor of the popular shows ‘NTV Akawungezi’ and ‘Tuwaye’ on NTV Uganda until 2022 when he quit working at the station.
Frank Walusimbi is the current Associate Communications Officer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Net Worth
Frank Walusimbi was expected to earn 35 million Ugandan shillings a year in 2021, bringing his estimated net worth to 350 million Ugandan shillings.
After joining UNHCR, he is anticipated to earn more than 40 million Ugandan shillings as in 2025.
Early Life
Frank Walusimbi was born on August 29, 1981, at Kasese’s Kilembe Mines Hospital in Western Uganda.
Frank grew up in Kasese with his parents and brothers. His mother was a housewife while his father worked as an engineer.
When they were at home, his father always encouraged them to use their mother tongue hence his fluency in Luganda.
His parents are from the Buganda kingdom and were born there. He is thus a Muganda by tribe.
Frank Walusimbi was brought up as a Catholic, but as he grew older, he wanted to convert to Pentecostalism and become a born-again Christian.
He claims that as a child, he was a big fan of the late Venatio Ssenoga, a radio journalist and the host of a well-researched science program on Radio Uganda.
Education Background
Frank Walusimbi attended Busega Preparatory Primary School for his primary education.
He then enrolled at Uganda Martyr’s Secondary School, Rubaga where he completed his Ordinary and Advanced level studies.
After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Uganda Christian University in Mukono, he went on to earn a Master’s degree in Development Studies from Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi.
Education background summary
| Years | Institution | Status /Award |
| Busega Primary School | PLE – Completed | |
| Martyr’s Secondary School | UCE & UACE – Completed | |
| 2004 | Uganda Christian University | Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism |
| Uganda Martyrs University | Master’s Degree in Development Studies |
Marriage / Relationship
On October 30, 2021, Frank Walusimbi, was introduced by Flavia, his longtime partner, in a customary union known as Kwanjula in Kamuli.
This Kwanjula was attended by friends, family members, and some NTV coworkers.
Career and Professional Work Experience
Frank Walusimbi began his career in journalism as a radio presenter at Green Channel FM (Radio Uganda) and a freelance writer for the Sunday Vision magazine.
As he was finishing up his Mass Communication degree at UCU Mukono in 2004, he began penning humorous articles for the magazine.
He began working as a features writer and reporter for the Daily Monitor in February 2005, and in September 2006, he switched to the sister company, Nation Media.
By that time, NTV Uganda was just getting launched and Walusimbi anchored his first news bulletin on 25th December 2006.
Frank Walusimbi continued to anchor the NTV Akawungeezi bulletin today and other shows like Tuwaye and Ebigambo Tebitta. He also hosted a political chat show on NTV Uganda.
After that, Walusimbi worked for the media organization for more than 15 years, retiring from NTV Uganda on 28th April 2022.
In May 2022, the UNHCR, an entity of the United Nations, employed Frank Walusimbi. Frank started working for the company as an Associate Communications Officer.
Work experience background summary
| Years | Institution | Position |
| 2004 | Sunday Vision magazine | Freelance writer |
| 2005 – 2006 | Daily Monitor | Features writer, Reporter |
| 2006 – 2022 | NTV Uganda | News anchor, host |
| 2022 – Present | UNHCR | Associate Communications Officer |
Other Career accomplishments
His passion for music began while he was a student at Rubaga. For a while, Walusimbi pursued this vocation seriously, recording a few CDs under Joe Tabula’s production.
Walusimbi won every competition he took part in at the Nsambya Sharing Youth Center during that period.
Even though his music career was expanding gradually, he decided to give up singing and pursue journalism, as a lifelong commitment.
Over the years, he distinguished himself from a group of exceptionally skilled journalists with his calm demeanour, poise, and superb Luganda dialect, among other qualities.
Achievements and Awards
Thanks to his inspirational work in the media, Frank Walusimbi has won numerous accolades, including the 2014 Radio and Television Academy Award for Best Factual Program for Tuwaye and Outstanding Alumni of Uganda Christian University.
Walusimbi was named the Arts and Culture Journalist of the Year in 2005 and he received the Golden Pen Award. His story was an enthralling tale that illuminated the dark and enigmatic realm of cannibalism in the Rakai district.
He was also the recipient of the Arts and Culture Award in the third Uganda National Journalism Awards in 2016. His Songs of Resistance, a perceptive report on the use of the arts as a vehicle for political mobilization, earned him this honour.
In August 2016, Frank Walusimbi also won the remarkable TV Host award from the Uganda Entertainment Awards.
The violence in Somalia and the role played by the African Union Mission in Somalia from 2008 to 2014 are among the important issues Walusimbi covered for NTV.
Controversies
In 2017, Frank Walusimbi was attacked at his front gate by a bunch of attackers.
A video that went viral on several social media platforms in March 2022 involved a Muslim cleric praising his female Muslim friend Ashurah who had gone to NTV to apply for a job as a news anchor.
The cleric claimed that Ashurah was given the requirement by Frank Walusimbi to read the news without her veil because NTV is not a television network built on Islamic principles, something Ashurah refused to accept.
Faridah Nakazibwe quickly discredited the cleric’s remarks, calling them propaganda and incorrect information.
Solomon Kaweesa, who confirmed that NTV has a formal system for job seekers, said that Frank could not be both a human resources manager and a news anchor.
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