Chameleone’s Burundi Radio Investment Reignites Questions Over Failed Leone TV Project

What the report says

Musician Joseph Mayanja, known as Chameleone, has drawn renewed attention to a long-delayed broadcasting project in Uganda after explaining why he chose to invest in a radio station in Burundi instead. According to Nile Post, his comments came during a TikTok live session in which he said Uganda’s radio market was crowded and frequencies were costly, while Burundi offered a more accessible entry point. He also said the Burundi venture followed an invitation from President Evariste Ndayishimiye and built on his earlier connection to the country.

The story also revisits Chameleone’s abandoned Leone Island TV proposal in Kampala. A consultant involved in the preparatory work disputed the singer’s account that he spent Shs250 million on the project, saying the amount was far lower and that the station stalled because it did not meet Uganda Communications Commission licensing requirements, including proof of financial capacity. The consultant said the project advanced only to the regulatory stage before stopping.

In the statement cited by Nile Post, the consultant broke down costs for equipment, application fees, consultancy, and studio space, and said records of the payments exist. The consultant also rejected claims that the matter had gone to commercial court. While the article references veteran media technocrat Dr Joel Isabirye as a likely figure behind the response, it notes that he did not confirm authorship.

The dispute matters because it highlights the practical and regulatory hurdles involved in launching broadcast businesses in Uganda, including licensing, capital requirements and access to frequencies. It also underscores the contrast between Chameleone’s new Burundi radio investment and his unfinished television plan at home.