Who is Solomon Serwanjja? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, achievements, and relationship with Vivian Nakaliika Serwanjja, Amani, Imani, Upendo and Asante, the early life and education of a television personality, news anchor, reporter, and investigative journalist from Uganda.
Solomon Serwanjja is a television personality, news anchor, reporter, and investigative journalist from Uganda.
Before his resignation, Serwanjja worked as a news anchor for NTV Uganda before moving to NBS television.
At the African Institute for Investigative Journalism (AIIJ), he currently serves as the Executive Director.
Early Life
Solomon Serwanjja was born on 18 September 1982 in Abayita Ababiri, Entebbe, Wakiso district, Uganda.
Because she was too far along to make it to the hospital in time, her mother gave birth to him at home.
In their family, he is the last born. Unfortunately, in 2012, his mother passed away.
Solomon Serwanjja was raised by his grandmother who showered him with affection. They lived in Ntinda, a Kampala neighbourhood and her grandmother was a nurse at Mulago Hospital at that time.
Education Background
Following his completion of primary school, Solomon Serwanjja attended a boarding secondary school for his secondary education.
He studied advanced physics, chemistry, and biology (PCB) at A-Level.
Solomon Serwanjja then enrolled at Makerere University and he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science.
He went back to Makerere University from 2014 to 2015 to pursue a Post Graduate Diploma in Investigative Journalism, and he received a Second-Class Upper grade upon graduation.
Serwanjja continued on his academic journey and enrolled at the University of Oslo in August 2018 and earned a postgraduate degree in journalism from the institution in August 2019.
He also holds a master’s degree in journalism and communication from Makerere University where he graduated with a Second-class upper grade.
Education background summary
| Years | Institution | Status /Award |
| Makerere University | Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science | |
| 2014 – 2015 | Makerere University | Post Graduate Diploma in Investigative Journalism |
| 2018 – 2019 | University of Oslo | Postgraduate Degree in Journalism |
| 2017 – 2020 | Makerere University | Master’s Degree in Journalism and Communication |
Other academic accomplishments
In addition, Solomon Serwanjja holds a certificate in UN reporting and a certificate in broadcast journalism.
He is a 2018 Reham Al-Farra Journalism Fellow for the United Nations, a prestigious and highly competitive four-week intensive training on UN coverage.
He is also a member of the Uganda Journalism Association, the Association of Investigative Journalists in Uganda, and the Institute of African Communicators as a fellow.
Marriage / Relationship
Solomon Serwanjja is married to Vivian Nakaliika Serwanjja. Their marriage is blessed with four children: Amani, Imani, Upendo and Asante.
Career and Professional Work Experience
For some East African television networks, including NBS TV, KTN News, NTV Uganda, and UBC TV, Serwanjja Solomon has held news anchor and reporter positions.
He worked as an investigative reporter and anchor for Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) TV and NTV Uganda, the country’s national broadcasters, from 2012 until 2014.
He spent around five years working at NTV Uganda before getting a new role at NBS Television where he served as the Live at 9 Bulletin anchor.
In addition, he was the host of a morning program called the Media Round Table, where guests talked about political and other social events that had occurred throughout the week.
He left his role as an NBSTV news anchor on July 13, 2021, bringing an end to his 13-year television career and six-year tenure with NBS.
He worked as an intern producer at BBC News, a London, United Kingdom-based organization, from September 2019 to January 2022. At the moment, he works as a producer for the BBC news show Focus on Africa.
Alternatively, he serves as the African Institute for Investigative Journalism’s (AIIJ) Executive Director.
Work experience background summary
| Years | Institution | Position |
| 2012 – 2014 | UBC TV | Investigative Reporter |
| 2012 – 2015 | Nation Media Group | News Anchor and Investigative Reporter |
| 2015 – 2019 | Standard Media Group PLC (Nairobi, Kenya) | News Anchor and Uganda Correspondent |
| 2015 – 2022 | NBS TV | Live @9 Bulletin News Anchor and Media Round Table show host |
| 2019 – 2022 | BBC News (London, United Kingdom) | Intern Producer |
| 2021 – Present | African Institute for Investigative Journalism | Executive Director |
Other Career accomplishments
At Makerere University, Solomon Serwanjja assists with broadcast journalism classes as a teaching assistant. He’s worked with Magic 100 FM as well.
At international media workshops/pieces of training in London, United Kingdom in May 2015, Nairobi, Kenya in August 2015, and most recently in Johannesburg, South Africa in October 2017 and 2019, where he was invited as a speaker and participant at the Global Investigative Journalism Conference, he served as a resource person.
Achievements and Awards
Solomon Serwanjja was given the Exceptional Journalism Award of Journalist of the Year 2017 at the Uganda National Journalism Awards from the African Center for Media Excellence (ACME) for this work.
In 2016, he had spent several months researching the drug trade in Uganda. The three-part documentary titled “The dark world of drugs” painted a disturbing portrait of the ineptitude of Uganda’s law enforcement officers and the impact of addiction on the country’s youth.
In 2019, Serwanjja was given the Komla Dumor Award, an annual award given by the BBC to honor African journalists.
He also received the CEHURD Excellence Award 2019 (Media Category) from the Center for Health Human Rights and Development.
Serwanjja was honoured with multiple accolades from the African Center for Media Excellence in 2017. These included the Runner-Up Features Story Award, the Runner-Up Investigative Reporting Award, the Political Reporting Award, and the Explanatory Reporting Award.
He also received the 2017 Bbale Francis Best Male News Anchor of the Year Award.
Serwanjja won the National News Reporting Award from the African Center for Media Excellence in April 2015 and the Post-2015 UN Award (Broadcast Category).
Controversies
The debate over the purpose and ethics of investigative journalism was sparked by the police detention of Solomon Serwanjja and his BBC colleagues in February 2019.
According to police, they obtained information that the journalists had purchased drugs from government facilities for Shs5 million and intended to purchase more.
Speaking on behalf of the Kampala metropolitan police, Patrick Onyango reported that they had discovered 14 boxes of Lumefantine tablets, Hepatitis B vaccines, and other medications bearing official seals in Serwanjja’s residence.
Later, Serwanjja handed himself in and stated to the police. He attested to the team’s possession of government medications obtained while conducting undercover reporting.
