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KAMPALA — For two decades, her calm, authoritative voice, crisp English diction, and flawless newsroom aura made her a permanent fixture inside millions of Ugandan living rooms. From breaking major geopolitical developments to anchoring high-stakes election broadcasts, Mildred Tuhaise stood as one of the most respected and recognizable prime-time news anchors in modern Ugandan journalism.
However, after 20 continuous years on the airwaves, the veteran broadcast journalist has officially pulled back from the television screen, swapping prime-time studio lights for the quiet routines of motherhood and commercial coffee farming.
Addressing her sudden hiatus in a tell-all sit-down on Baba TV, Tuhaise framed her exit not as a permanent retirement, but as a much-needed “commercial break” to reclaim her personal life, heal from workplace burnout, and give her young family the presence they have long deserved.
Why did Mildred Tuhaise decide to hit pause on her 20-year broadcast career?
The decision to step away from the microphone was born out of a stark realization: two decades of relentless media deadlines had quietly turned her into an absent mother and wife.
Reflecting on her daily schedule, Tuhaise revealed that the grueling demands of mainstream television forced her into a routine where she routinely left her home at 6:00 AM and returned well past 10:00 PM—long after her young children had gone to sleep.
“I spent the whole day reading news on TV when Pope Francis had died and the burial coverage was ongoing. I was already heavily pregnant, and so after the day’s hard work, I passed by the hospital. Guess what! That was the day I gave birth to my baby,” Tuhaise recalls. “The one who is currently six years old didn’t get any chance to see me during his early years because I usually left home at 6:00 AM and got back at 10:00 PM when he was asleep.”
The cycle repeated itself with her second child, now one year and three months old. Tuhaise put in a full day’s work at the newsroom, went to work the following Monday feeling unwell, made a detour to the clinic, and delivered her child later that night.
“I have always been unavailable for my young family and yet they need me,” she explained. “Yes, my husband is used to my schedule, but that doesn’t mean I should normalize being an absent wife. I sat down, thought through my journey, and realized that I have reached a point where I need to give my own family the time it deserves.”
Stepping away from the studio, Tuhaise has turned her full attention toward commercial agriculture—specifically coffee cultivation—invoking the famous Luganda proverb: “Enimiro telimba” (The garden never lies). For Tuhaise, coffee farming offers an honest, grounded livelihood where effort yields tangible results without the toxic pressures of corporate media.
How did a teenager in a control room become one of Uganda’s premier news anchors?
Mildred Tuhaise’s journey to the top of Uganda’s media hierarchy is a story of grit, entry-level humility, and steady professional evolution. Her media career began 20 years ago when she broke into the industry as a teenager, working behind the scenes at Top TV.
Her career trajectory unfolded across three major broadcast chapters:
- Top TV (The Foundation): Tuhaise started at the absolute bottom, working inside the technical control room where she monitored feeds and managed production queues. Recognizing her sharp vocal texture and natural confidence, producers moved her in front of the camera. She hosted youth programs, anchored wedding showcases, and eventually earned her first slot reading the news.
- WBS TV (The Prime-Time Breakthrough): She subsequently joined Wavah Broadcasting Services (WBS TV), then the undisputed king of Ugandan private television owned by businessman Sir Gordon Wavamunno. At WBS, Tuhaise was elevated to prime-time news reader, mastering live field reports, breaking news bulletins, and studio interviews alongside the country’s elite journalists.
- NBS TV / Next Media (The Career Peak): Following the downfall of WBS TV, Tuhaise joined Next Media Services (NBS TV), where she cemented her status as a household name. As a lead anchor on flagship bulletins like NBS Live at 9 and host on flagship morning current affairs programs like Morning Breeze, she became one of the most trusted voices in national broadcasting.
Throughout her meteoric rise, Tuhaise gained a reputation for exceptional personal discipline and financial literacy. In an industry where young media personalities often fall into lifestyle traps, she famously advocated for financial boundaries, publicly preaching that a professional’s housing rent should never consume more than 15% of their monthly salary to ensure long-term stability.
What is the terrifying ‘666’ dream and ‘Ettalo’ experience that shook Mildred Tuhaise’s media career?
Behind the polished studio wardrobe and professional glamour, Tuhaise’s time in the media industry was also marked by disturbing, supernatural encounters that exposed the dark, competitive underbelly of broadcast newsrooms.
In a candid interview with media personality Flavia Namulindwa, Tuhaise opened up about a chilling period involving inexplicable physical afflictions, missing personal belongings, and suspected witchcraft (ettalo).
The nightmare began with a terrifyingly vivid dream involving her workplace locker room:
“In the dream, my husband and I were heading to my workplace. Upon arrival, I discovered that everyone entering the premises was required to display the number ‘666’ either on their forehead or forearm in order to gain access,” Tuhaise narrates. “I panicked and improvised by writing the number with a marker pen on my arm before showing it to the security guards at the entrance. One of the guards said the number looked forged, but another told him it was okay because they would get my clothes from the locker room later.”
Shortly after the dream, the nightmare crossed over into her waking reality:
- The 3:00 AM Physical Attacks: Every night at precisely 3:00 AM, Tuhaise began waking up with severe, excruciating itching and burning sensations in her leg.
- The Disappearing Clothing: Around the same period, one of her personal jackets mysteriously vanished from her workplace locker room without a trace—directly mirroring the warning from her dream.
- The Boss’s Sinister Remark: Tuhaise recalled a bone-chilling comment previously uttered by one of her media bosses, who openly remarked that they wished her signature broadcast voice would permanently stop working.
- The Diagnosis of ‘Ettalo’: Recognizing the sinister pattern, her husband—who had also been experiencing warning dreams—warned her that she was under a targeted spiritual attack known locally as ettalo.
“I started praying because the incidents became too consistent to ignore,” Tuhaise shares.
With her health and career on the line, Tuhaise turned to intense prayer and eventually sought help from a trusted traditional herbalist affiliated with her workplace. The physical afflictions stopped, allowing her to regain her health and continue her career—though the experience left a permanent scar regarding the lengths to which workplace rivalry can stretch.
What lies ahead for Mildred Tuhaise as she steps away from the camera?
As Mildred Tuhaise hangs up her newsroom earpiece after two decades of public service, her legacy as a trailblazer for female broadcast journalists in Uganda remains secure.
By choosing to walk away at the height of her career to nurture her children, protect her marriage, and cultivate her coffee farms, Tuhaise has sent a powerful message to the media industry: that no amount of television fame or prime-time applause can ever replace the quiet sanctuary of home.
