Kato Williams has spent the last 17 years as the lead producer and editor of “NTV Akawungeezi” and “NTV Ku Ssawa Emu” news bulletins
Emotions and tears of joy filled NTV Uganda’s newsroom on a chilly Wednesday evening as the staff at the Serena Conference Center-based station bade farewell to Williams Kato, a senior news producer.
Mr Kato has spent the last 17 years as the lead producer and editor of “NTV Akawungeezi” and “NTV Ku Ssawa Emu” news bulletins. During his tenure at NTV, the experienced broadcaster not only produced the country’s leading Luganda news bulletin but also groomed and nurtured numerous seasoned news reporters and anchors who have served the profession diligently.
Kato Williams, who is now officially retired, was among the first cohort of employees that joined NTV in 2006 when the station was launched in Uganda.
“Kato came after a month or two when we had joined. We were the first cohort to join NTV. It was a turning point for many of us but also a turning point for the TV industry in Uganda,” said Frank Walusimbi, a former anchor of NTV Akawungeezi, as he bade farewell to the lead producer.
Adding, “I knew Kato from WBS TV. I could switch on and see his reports. They were excellent reports, and when he joined us, I felt we had a good driver on board. He has the mind for the newsroom—to plan, to ensure that tasks are split, and that people deliver on time.”
“It didn’t matter who you were, Kato met you as you are. His character was that he dealt with you the way you dealt with him. If you were hardworking, you had a very good relationship with him. If you were lazy, he ignored you, and you would know that he didn’t like you because he couldn’t deploy you. He knew you would never deliver,” said Mr. Maurice Mugisha, the Deputy MD of UBC Uganda and former NTV News Manager.
Words alone could not express how much Kato’s workmates appreciated his service as they continued to share their heartfelt and sincere farewell messages to him, speaker after speaker.
The farewell ceremony was attended by notable guests, including the Leader of Opposition, Rt. Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, who is also Kato’s former workmate at NTV, and Kampala Metropolitan Police PRO Patrick Onyango.
Thank you, Kato Williams, for diligently serving the country through journalism. Your legacy, landmark, and efforts will always be remembered.
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