Shaka Ssaka, the former Voice of America (VOA) TV’s veteran host has been confirmed dead by a family member, who did not divulge details about his cause of death, or whereabouts of the body.
“We have received the sad news and are yet to come to terms about his passing. We will divulge more details about the burial arrangements at a later stage,” said a relative who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Shaka died from the U.S where he has been living for the bigger part of his life and journalism career. He recently underwent a surgery following months of battling an ailment.
The self-proclaimed “Kabale Kid started working as a correspondent on VOA in the 90s while he was living in exile. He was once a soldier during Idi Amin’s regime but fled fearing for his life because Dada had become suspicious of him. His father, the late Mushakamba, was a strong supporter of President Museveni.
Just like his cousin the late Karambuzi was executed by Imin’s soldiers who had evidence that he was directly linked to the supply of guns and Recruitments for NRA.
He was known for his fearless and incisive journalism which pushed him into tackling some of the most pressing issues on the continent. Such included corruption, social justice, politics and human rights.
He started his humble journey in the hills of Kabale as a pupil at Kikungiri primary school, before joining Kigezi High School.
His professional career started when he worked as a reporter and editor for several newspapers in Uganda before joining the Voice of America in 1994.
The Ugandan North American Association (UNAA) honored the veteran journalist with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to media in Africa. This was during their annual convention in 2024.