He is a well known emcee in the entertainment industry, a voice over artiste, a radio presenter as well as a businessman. He meets his fan Innocent Kafeero, a businessman in Bukoto.
Hi Omulangira Ndawusi. What is your real name?
My name is Simon Peter Ndawula.
Where do you come from?
I come from Kooki, born to the Late Edward Kitayimbwa Bakulumpagi and Immaculate Nakiwala Kitayimbwa. I’m the ninth of 24 children and brother to the Kamuswaga of Kooki.
How old are you?
I’m 39 years old. I was born on April 15, 1974.
When did you join radio?
I joined radio in 1993 as a freelance presenter at Capital FM and also as a voice over artiste.
Which other radio stations have you worked with before Simba?
After Capital FM, I went to CBS Radio in 1995, still as a freelancer, then Voice of Tooro in Fort Portal, from where I joined Semat Production under Peter Sematimba for six months. I rejoined CBS and then Africa FM, which was later renamed Radio Simba in 1998.
What exactly are you doing at Simba?
I’m into production, promotions, I am the head of presenters and at the same time sit on the creative team.
What else do you do besides radio?
I’m an emcee, I’m the chairman Gagamel Phamily, I do radio adverts and I have a studio under Ndawusi Communications called Pizzo Records and a school that trains people in radio and TV programming and I’m also a music promoter.
Which artistes have you helped rise to fame in the industry?
So many including Bebe Cool, Chameleone, Iryn Namubiru and Nince Henry among the notable ones.
Which schools did you attend?
I went to Bulooba and Nkumba Boarding Primary Schools, Namilyango College, then did diplomas in Clearing and Forwarding and Computer Science at Kampala College of Science.
How many radio jingles have you done so far?
I don’t know. Maybe 80,000 or more.
How much do you charge to do an advert?
It depends on how big the show or concert is. If it’s an international artiste, I charge Shs1.5m, but if it’s for a small businesses, I charge 500,000 to Shs1m.
Do you do free ads for Gagamel?
At Gagamel, I earn on a monthly basis. Whatever I do, money comes in at the end of the month.
Is Ndawusi a married man?
He was but not anymore. I was engaged to Faridah Ndawusi but we divorced. I’m just a happy man with six children. I have two boys and four girls.
What is your view about the music industry in Uganda?
The industry is growing at a fast rate. We have so many talented artistes who lack exposure and this is because of the politics in the game. The big guns know how keep them at that level.
What makes a good artiste to you?
Someone who listens, takes advice, respects others, is honest and scarce.
Does beef in the music industry exist?
Yes it does and it’s real, especially among the top three artistes.
Being in Bebe Cool’s Gagamel, I hear a lot of adverts you voice for Bobi Wine. Doesn’t that hurt your relationship with Bebe Cool?
Making ads is my other job and he knows and respects that. If Bobi Wine pays, why wouldn’t I do it for him. That is my side business.
