Television has come a long way.I vividly remember the days when U.T.V was the only local T.V station.Back then,you had to suffer quietly and suppress the occasional urge to smash your set,when the U.T.V guys pulled the curtain on you.Well,I don’t know what else to call 6,possibly more, strips of different colours.Every time I saw it,it reminded me of the rainbow.Come to think of it,that’s why I never had to cram all those formulas our teachers gave us,for the colours of the rainbow!Remember “Richard Okello, Your Girlfriend Betty Is Vomiting”?

Does any one remember Saturday Variety show on U.T.V in the 90s?It was quite something.I wonder what happened to Irene Kulabako.Last I heard of her,she was trying to be Uganda’s Oprah.There was also that ka-drama,Zinunula omunaku, Bibaawo and That’s Life mwattu that kept boredom from raising its ugly head.Sometimes you’d come back from school,to Sergent Kifulugunyu singing Cinderella and gyrating.My favourite video was ‘Wanziba luli,tonzibe leero”.It’s hilarious.Well,not as hilarious as Nurses and Different strokes.Eh, there was also Another life.Eh!I had forgotten to mention that preacher on T.V every Sunday morning!He’s called Charles Angley or something.

“This is the news on U.T.V.Am Bbale Francis.” That was the most boring hour in our lives.Bedtime was 9 p.m and there was this old man reading news!Lucky for us though, it was an unwritten rule to have supper at 8 p.m or there abouts.So we’d give our plates as much attention as possible to drown ki-man’s voice.I loved Beatrice Akello though.Even at that tender age,I knew she was beautiful.Oba what became of her.

Before Daniel Arap Moi(not the erstwhile president of Kenya but a reporter/news anchor with WBS T.V),Jane Joan Ayeko, and the Morris Mugisha’s of this world,there was Toya Kilama(R.I.P).He’s grasp of the English language was second only to Bbale Francis’;never mind his accent.He was,in my opinion, the only professional reporter of the time.

Then there came T.V Africa that brought us the very first T.V soaps,Sunset beach (banange where can I get its DVD or something.I just heard of it from school coz it was aired at 9 p.m-my bed time!) and Wild Rose(I at least watched this one);CTV brought us Westerns/cowboy movies.Finally,Wavah came up with WBS that instantly became the most popular local station.My sister got me hooked to those bu first telenovelas like Maria de Los Angeles.Then she managed to lure me into watching Passions.

Kati there’s NTV which is arguably the best local t.v station. It is,in the words of H.E the President of the Ghetto and Uganja,Bobi Wine, mazi mawanvu.