Who is Sam Bagenda? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, achievements, and relationship with Dr. Sam Bakiranze, Margaret Bakiranze, Patience Kentaro, Penina, J.W.K Ssembajwe, Jimmy Katumba, Bat Valley Theatre, the early life and education of is a Ugandan actor, director, producer, and musician
Sam Bagenda, also known as Dr. Bbosa, is a Ugandan actor, director, producer, and musician.
Bagenda began his career as a singer before becoming a well-known actor. He is most recognised for his roles in Escape from Uganda (2013), That’s Life Mwattu (1993), and Kyaddala (2019).
Bagenda is still a deep-voiced bass vocalist who performs voice-over work for documentaries and advertisements.
Early Life and Education
Sam Bagenda was born in Mukono, Uganda, on March 31, 1965, into a family of four siblings.
Dr. Sam Bakiranze was his father, and Margaret Bakiranze was his mother and both are deceased.
He began his studies at Auntie Clare and City Nursery schools. He later attended Kitante Primary School for his primary education and Lubiri Secondary School in Kampala, as well as Caltek Academy Makerere for his secondary education.
Bagenda later earned a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialisation in auditing from Makerere University.
He also completed a Public Accountants (CPA) programme at Graffins College Kenya.
He then worked as an accountant for a few years until leaving in 1986 to become a full-time actor with the Ebonies, a prominent Ugandan theatre group.
Bagenda has eight children and has been married to Patience Kentaro for eight years. He recently revealed his new young lover, Penina.
Career and Professional Work Experience
Bagenda sang in church at St.Pauls in Mulago during his secondary school years. While there, he introduced the idea of choir members singing while making gestures rather than standing static.
This did not sit well with the parish priest, who fired him. In 1985, they founded a gospel choir named “Sun Rose-85” with the help of other choir members who thought the concept was good.
Bagenda was in Form Six holiday at the time, playing cover versions of other performers’ songs, occasionally modifying and embellishing them with dramatisations and different musical instruments. He continued to play music even after enrolling at Makerere University.
He was also working part-time as a tutor at the YMCA and decided to put his little earnings into the choir.
With time, his team organised a performance, and some senior members of the Ebonies, including Jimmy Katumba, Yeko Mukasa, and the Ebonies’ main founder, JW Katende Ssembajjwe, were in the audience.
Bagenda’s career would take a turn when the Ebonies’ top brass approached them with a suggestion to widen their scope and include some secular songs.
He first joined The Ebonies in December 1986 and continued to work as a deep-voiced vocalist, with the late Jimmy Katumba, in various festivals and later recorded the popular lovely song ‘Twalina omukwano negufa’.
He met J.W.K Ssembajwe, a dramatist and director when he was at the height of his career as a singer.
His first major performance was at the formal opening of the current Bat Valley Theatre in January 1987. He had his first acting job as a ‘priest’ in the theatre drama The Dollar.
He later appeared as ‘Dr. Sam Bbosa’ in the popular Ugandan television series That’s Life Mwattu in 1993.
Achievements and Awards
Sam Bagenda has received recognition and awards for his contributions to the film business both locally and internationally.
In 2000, Bagenda was named Ugandan Actor of the Millennium.
He has provided many young people with a platform to perform and appreciate the arts, allowing them to forge successful careers out of their abilities and ideals.
Films
Sam Bagenda has been in the acting and film profession for 33 years, making him one of the Ebonies’ iconic performers.
Some of the films he has acted in include the following;
- That’s Life Mwattu (1993) where he acted as Sam Bbosa
- Escape from Uganda (2013) where he was The Mayor
- Agony and Ecstasy
- The Boss
- Land Friends
- Daisy
- The Dollar
- Dilemma
- Bibaawo
- OMG
- Kyekyo
Controversies
On the 5th of December 2019, the President gave a pledge of 100 million shillings to Sam Bagenda while speaking to a crowd of drama and entertainment enthusiasts at La Bonita Theatre in Kampala, where Sam was commemorating his legacy of 33 years on stage and television.
Bbosa believed the president’s vow remained valid, but was impeded by the pandemic Covid-19, which disrupted life around the world and prompted many people to rethink their priorities.
Bbosa further stated that demanding the pledge in such a situation would be unjust and selfish of him.
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