Who is Joseph Tamale Mirundi? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, and relationship with late father Tamale Mirundi, mother Molly Mirundi, Matale village, President Yoweri Museveni and the early life and education of a Ugandan journalist and author.
Joseph Tamale Mirundi was a prominent and highly controversial Ugandan journalist, author, and political analyst.
Best known for his razor-sharp wit, bold critique of authority, and unique oratorical style, he served as the Presidential Press Secretary for 13 years under President Yoweri Museveni before transitioning into an outspoken independent media personality.
Early Life and Education
- Born: 30 June 1964 in Rakai District, Uganda.
- Died: 13 August 2024 (aged 60) at Kisubi Hospital in Kampala due to lung-related complications.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Makerere University.
- Key Roles: Presidential Press Secretary (2002–2015), Presidential Media Advisor, independent newspaper publisher, and radio/TV political commentator.
Joseph Tamale Mirundi was born in Rakai District to the late father Tamale Mirundi and mother Molly Mirundi in Matale village. His mother is not sure of his age but she thinks Mirundi was born between 1960 and 1964.
Mirundi is the ninth child of his mother. He grew up differently because he claims he talked very early in his life. Many people thought his mother had produced a “Musambwa”, he grew up a loner.
Mirundi says he only befriend someone when their interests meet. He has no close friend and he takes independent decisions.
“There is nobody who can claim to be a close friend of mine.”
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When talking, Mirundi talks in a folksy style, a characteristic of the countryside where he was born and groomed.
Mirundi says he inherited his arrogance from his mother. He narrates that her mother always had a low opinion of many people.
Unlike other women, Mirundi says his mother was not involved in rumour mongering just like him.
Joseph Tamale Mirundi went to Lubiri Secondary School and after he joined Makerere University Kampala, from where he attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass-Communication and Master’s degree in Communication.
Work, Career & Political Influence
Mirundi began his journalism career in high school at the Munno newspaper and later founded independent publications like The Voice, Lipoota, and the online platform Kab News.
In 1998, Mirundi thought he had suffered enough at Munno and decided to start two newspapers: The Lipoota and The Voice. But could not cope with the media transformations at that time.
He was unable to compete with colour and management ushered in by William Pike at the New Vision.
Appointed as the deputy presidential press secretary in 2004, he rose to become the chief defender of the President and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). He was known for fiercely attacking government officials he deemed corrupt or counter-productive. Following pressure from internal political adversaries, he was relieved of his press secretary role in 2015.
In his later years, Mirundi became a household name across Uganda through explosive, unfiltered political talk shows. He hosted popular segments like One on One on NBS Television and Sharp Talk and Embuga on STV Uganda.
He was famous for using colorful metaphors and correctly predicting major political shifts, including the rise of Bobi Wine’s People Power movement in the 2021 elections.
He was also an author, writing several books examining Ugandan socio-politics, such as Why Ugandans are Gullible: Guidelines to a Logical Debate.
He once contested for an MP position in his Constituency but he lost the election.
And during this time, Mirundi rejected certain things like going to a witchdoctor or paying Catholic Priests to praise him in church.
The constituency voters jointly agreed that he was a wise young man but he seemed so detached. Perhaps, that’s why he lost the election.
Business and Finance
Joseph Tamale Mirundi plans to join mainstream journalism once again. He has already purchased a printing Press which he uses to print most of his books.
Besides beginning a newspaper, he will also set up a political school. Irrespective of age, political or academic background, his school will be open to everyone.
Mirundi has an investment in taxis, but he says this is not the reason he fought on the side of taxi operators against KCCA.
“The taxi industry is big and wide and until one considers this, then trying to evict taxi operators from the city is a mirage.”
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He says ordinary people in the informal sector are being incited because Uganda wants a clean city. But he says no one should tamper with the ordinary person.
Joseph Tamale Mirundi – Family
Joseph Tamale Mirundi often says he has three homes, meaning he has three wives. He prefers to call these homes ‘empires’ kin to traditional kings’ homes.
A while ago, while on a talk show on Star FM, Mirundi revealed that he has 48 children. 15 of them finished university education.
But it’s still unclear whether the 48 children came from the three wives.
Mirundi had his first son in 1981 after he impregnated his fellow student at Lubiri Secondary School. The girl was then taken to London immediately after she delivered.
The girl’s family was very rich and to them, Mirundi was a poor man who had no future. He wishes, the same family that despised him could look where he is today and see how he has fought through all odds and finally made it.
Unfortunately, one of his daughters died while giving birth at Mengo Hospital Kampala, in June 2019.
The proud father seems to have taken the call of former Luweero chairperson, Al Hajji Abdul Nadduli to procreate as much as we possibly can.
Other Facts
Mirundi, who is a Muganda by ethnicity, is a plain-speaking, frank, cheerful and funny man. His charm lets you off the hook, and the doubt that you question him at first melts into thin air as soon as you listen to him.
All in all, Mirundi is a sensitive and empathetic person. Vivacious is his face as he speaks out his heart. In particular, Mirundi can be described as a “free spirit” man.
Mirundi is not easily swayed. Though he is a free thinker, he banks on his ideological rigidity to turn debates in his favour.
He tells people what they eventually will see. When he is serious, he lets out the words “Nyabo Yosephina”, and when extremely happy, he smokes and dances.
Things like the President winning elections, his prediction coming to pass are what makes him euphoric. When Alintuma Nsambu lost by 46 per cent in a by-election.
Mirundi danced because he says,
“The elections had degenerated into Mengo verses Nsambu showing how unpopular the Kabaka was becoming”.
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Mirundi follows simple wisdom but it would be a mistake to underestimate his intelligence, knowledge or resolve. He purposely retains homes fun language and explains things in parables to better communicate with the common people.
He says people think he’s a complicated man which is not, maybe because no one ever gets to bribe him.
Most widely held works by Joseph Tamale Mirundi
Joseph Tamale Mirundi is an author who had written a numbery of books, particularly concerning Uganda’s politics.
In one of his books, Mirundi gives snippets of power struggles that occur around President Museveni. One of the books even details the rise and fall of former Vice President, Gilbert Bukenya.
Mirundi has written a numbery of books or rather pamphlets, and these he sells cheaply. On a good day when you get a chance to meet him, you may walk away with a book for free.
Some of Joseph Tamale Mirundi books are as follows;
- Bafunda ne Serwajjokwota, first published in 2005.
- Who keeps the President in Power, first published in 2009?
- Uganda’s oil, is it a curse or scramble? First published in 2011.
- What divides the State and Religion, first published in 2012.
- Killing a medical doctor to save a cobbler, first published in 2013.
- From crown prince to commoner, first published in 2013.
- How Mbabazi plotted his failed coup, first published in 2015.
- The history of the media in Uganda: Case of a snake in a cooking pot; an essential handbook for students of Mass-Communication and Journalism, first published in 2016.
- Again at the crossroad, first published in 2017.
Popular Books
- Bobi Wine victory or revolution? First published in 2017.
- Mafia threatens Museveni’s survival, first published in 2017.
- Banyampi, first published in 2019.
- The Making of Besigye among others.
Dislikes
Mirundi hates people who call him with a wrong motive at odd hours and prefers people to be brief when they call.
“I receive many phone calls. The last thing I hear at the end of the day is someone asking me on the phone whether I remember them.”
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Saddest moment
The death of his daughter is not Mirundi’s saddest moment, but rather the death of his father.
“The day my father died hit me so hard. I admired him so much.”
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And when he talks about his father, you see a sad mood in him.
Happiest moments
The day he came to Kampala city in 1979.
Memories
Tamale Mirundi has a lot of memories especially those from his village where he grew up from.
He says in his village, they had cannibals and witchdoctors, one of the first-hand things he witnessed. Mirundi says his family was unique in a much-disciplined village.
Mirundi recounts a day when nine people were killed for stealing matooke and chicken. He says their village never tolerated indiscipline cases.
They had no village courts, but justice still prevailed. Mirundi talks about the various men in his village that formed the core of the values he believed in.
One of the men is Petero Nswa who was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Nswa was a tailor. One Christmas morning Nswa woke up expecting to find breakfast on the table only to find out that his wife had left for prayers.
Holding a stick in his hand, Nswa headed for the church where he found his wife kneeling before a St Joseph Statue. He hit the statue and broke it into pieces. He was thus summarily excommunicated.
Mirundi would go to Nswa’s house when it rains to find out whether his house received rain. And even though he was deserted by the villagers, Nswa got even stronger and more authoritative.
Another man Mirundi remembers is Kasumba, who many thought would die after subjecting a Catholic Priest to a thorough beating, having caught him red-handed with his wife.
There was also Rwabuchocho, who Mirundi says slapped his mother-in-law. Rwabuchuchu gained popularity because he did suffer for his actions.
So, because of all these things that Mirundi witnessed, he says he’s able to comment on many things that people fear to comment on.
Talk show programs
Almost Mirundi’s weekdays are occupied with talk shows both on Radio and Television Stations.
- On Thursday night Mirundi has a talk show on Metro FM.
- Friday morning on Impact FM.
- Monday evening, on Top Radio.
- Tuesday morning, on NBS TV on one on one program hosted by Kazibwe Bashir Mbazira.
- Thursday morning, on ABS TV.
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