Kin Group, owner of Nile Broadcasting Services (NBS) TV, could be finalising plans to venture into Rwanda as part of its strategy to grow its operations.
The multibillion investment venture move could come on the backdrop of Rwanda’s successful migration from analogue to digital broadcasting.
Group owner and CEO Kin Kariisa’s business curiosity saw him spend most of last week in Rwanda’s capital Kigali possibly on a feasibility study. He was on Friday photographed engrossed in deep conversation with President Kagame alongside veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda at the sidelines of Umushyikirano 2016 at Kigali Convention Centre, an annual forum that brings together leaders and citizens to discuss the country’s development. Locals and friends of Rwandans from all walks of life take this opportunity to ask questions directly to their leaders.
Kin Kariisa, as a friend of Rwanda could have possibly asked for a broadcasting licence, radio frequency spectrum in Rwanda and some more important waivers if plans to expand down south are to be believed.
Kin has over the years transformed NBS TV into one of the most prominent television stations in the country and an expansion into Rwanda where the station is said to attract a sizeable audience after a series of Rwandaphile reporting called #NBSFocusOnRwanda in the past few weeks just like Mwenda uses his pro-democracy credentials.
The smart businessman could be headed the Mwenda-way in Kigali. We’re told Kagame has been generous to Mwenda his consequential lobbyist allegedly giving the Ugandan journalists benefits which include: traveling in Kagame’s private jets, vacation in Rwanda’s five star hotels and attending high-level international meetings alongside the Rwandan leader.
Sources close to Kin say, hailing from the hilly lands of Ruhaama, Ntungamo, the ruling family in Kigali sees him as one of their own having been raised and schooled in Western Uganda as refugees themselves.
It’s also worth noting Kin Kariisa was President Museveni’s special presidential assistant on IT and could have caught the attention of H.E Kagame back then.
Kin’s Media Plaza in Kamwokya based station was started by former Jinja East MP Nathan Igeme Nabeta in the early 2000s but later Kariisa bought a controlling stake and it is now under his firm management.
We’ve reached out to Kariisa’s reps … so far no word back.
Author: stephenmuneza@gmail.com, +256772544870 or Twitter @stephenkmuneza
