Who is Sir Simon Muyanga Lutaaya? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, relationship with the late Mr. Peter Muyanga and Margaret Namukwaya Muyanga, Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Royal Highness Edward Colombus Wambuzi XIII, Baba TV, NGABO Newspaper, Juba Times Newspaper, Kiira FM, NBS FM, early life and education of a Ugandan Media Consultant.
Sir Simon Muyanga Lutaaya is a Ugandan journalist, politician, farmer as well as a Media Consultant.
After receiving two knighthoods—one from the parallel Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Royal Highness Edward Colombus Wambuzi XIII in 2015, and the other from the Kabaka of Buganda, His Majesty Ronald Muwenda Mutebi 11 in 2003, Muyanga was given the title, Sir.
As a close friend of Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Muyanga switched political parties from DP to FDC which remains his party up to date.
Early Life and Education
Simon Muyanga Lutaaya was born on March 10, 1978, to the late Mr. Peter Muyanga and Margaret Namukwaya Muyanga in Kaliro District.
He is the oldest of seven children. He is a married man with children. Muyanga started his primary schooling at Kasawo Mubanda Boarding Primary School in Mukono before.
When his family had to move, he was forced to transfer to Buyuge Primary School in Kaliro District where he completed his primary education.
He went on to enrol at St. John’s Secondary School Wakitaka in Jinja for his Ordinary Certificate of Education and then Kiira High School for his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education in 1999.
He then enrolled at Makerere University to earn his first degree in Education and Management. He also earned his second degree there in Journalism and Mass communication, as well as a Master’s degree in Journalism and Communications.
Career and Professional Work Experience
Sir Simon Muyanga Lutaaya has taught at Kisasi College School, Kiira High School and Good Heart Secondary School. He has also given motivational talks at Makerere University, Ndejje University, Cavendish University and other institutions.
His journalism career began in 1998 with NGABO Newspaper which is now closed, then the Juba Times Newspaper, the Jinja-based Kiira FM in 2002, and NBS FM in 2003 before he returned to Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) in 2004 and then joined NBS Television in Kampala in 2007.
Before his appointment as Head of Current Affairs show host, producer, and Head of training in 2014, he served as a Parliamentary Journalist, Luganda News Anchor, Senior Luganda Editor and Head of Desk, News Manager, and Chief News Editor at NBS.
He hosted the ‘One on One with Tamale Mirundi’ and ‘NBS Eagle’ on NBS TV. Muyanga left NBS in 2019 to focus on his media consultancy, Jinja Journalism School, and agriculture.
He later joined Balam’s Radio, the Ntinda-based Radio 4 in June 2020 where he hosted the ‘Gwe Nsonga’ show. However, in October 2020, he resigned to focus on his Member of Parliament bid for Bulamogi county in Kaliro district.
He was replaced by the former Top TV and Radio Journalist Adam Kungu as the new host of the show.
In the 2021 General elections, Sir Simon contested as a Candidate for Constituency Representative of Bulamogi county in Kaliro district on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket.
He garnered 11,322 votes and lost the election to Bwiire Sanon Nadeeba, the NRM candidate. This was after his unsuccessful contest for the same seat in 2016.
Achievements and Awards
Muyanga is the CEO and principal Consultant at SML Media Communications Ltd, a media, public relations, and advertising consultancy founded in 2012 that also serves as the holding company for Dmemories Studios, SML School of Media and Business, and the inspirational organisation, Tours of Hope.
He is also the Chairman of Kasangati Aquaculture SACCO.
Controversies
Muyanga contested as a Member of Parliament for the Bulamongi constituency in 2016 on the FDC ticket. He ultimately lost to Kenneth Lubogo of NRM and opted to submit an electoral petition to challenge the results.
He was unsuccessful twice at the Jinja High Court and Court of Appeal.
Since Muyanga allegedly failed to appear for court summons, which he defines as contempt of court, Jinja High Court constable Jesse Byaruhanga issued him an arrest warrant.
He was sentenced to Kirinya Prison – Jinja in April 2018 for six months for failing to make payments totalling Shs150 million in court fines.
Muyanga was suspended from Baba TV Uganda in January 2023 as a result of a viral video that was perceived as criticising the Parliament’s role in the censure of Hon. Percis Namuganza, the state minister for lands, housing, and urban development.
During a live broadcast, the journalist attacked parliament for organising itself to bring about the censure of the Busoga Minister as though it were the most urgent matter at hand.
The speaker’s office put tremendous pressure on Baba TV management by demanding that the journalist be fired for acting in an unprofessional manner.
He later apologised to the leadership of the Parliament and the MPs saying he had no ill intentions.
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