Former News anchor and TV host Simon Muyanga Lutaaya has come out to set the record straight about his video that trended on social media yesterday of him crying when he got the news that his longtime friend and political analyst, Tamale Mirundi had passed on.
In the viral video, Muyanga recorded himself narrating how he wanted to visit the late Tamale Mirundi on the morning of his death but never had a car.
In his lamentations, Muyanga Lutaaya narrated how Mirundi introduced him to tycoon Ham at the lowest point of his life. Ham was able to give him Ugx. 10 million to start his life all over.
“He told Ham to help me with capital to start my life because I had lost purpose in life. He was one person who wished me well, but now he has left me. No one will ever know me like he did,” Muyanga Lutaaya wailed in the video.
The video was met with backlash from a section of people who termed him a pretender and clout chaser for pulling out a camera and recording moments that were meant to be vulnerable.
Muyanga Lutaaya also questioned why a famous journalist who has been in the limelight for a long time did not have the money to afford a car. With this comment, many agreed with him that Muyanga was using this sad moment to ask for resources to buy himself a car.
This attracted Muyanga Lutaaya’s attention, forcing him to address the claims when he was given the microphone to address the mourners during Tamale Mirundi’s vigil.
“I explained here yesterday that when they called me that Mirundi had passed on, I wanted to leave home immediately at 1 AM when I got the news. Unfortunately, there was no bike, motorcycle or car that would rush me there. The people who reported it twisted it that I was asking for a car but I want to clarify that the reports were wrong. That is not what I meant. I just wanted to make that right,” he revealed.
Tamale Mirundi was pronounced dead on Tuesday, 13th August at Kisubi Hospital where he had been admitted for lung-related complications.
Muyanga worked at NBS TV for 11 years hosting the ‘One On One With Tamale Mirundi’ talk show, discussing top current affairs in the country with the deceased.
They had been best of friends and during one interview, he confessed that he loved him so much, contrary to the people’s desire to lash out at him because of his political views.
