After Losing a Media Company, Ssekaayi Simon Is Betting on a Second Chance

WAKISO, Uganda — For nearly eight years after Horizon Media Uganda ceased operations, little was heard publicly from its founder, Ssekaayi Simon. The media entrepreneur who had established the company in 2008 watched as the business faded from Uganda’s media landscape, eventually being removed from the national companies register after years of inactivity.

On Thursday, Simon returned to the spotlight with the launch of Uganda National Media Group (UNMG), a new media holding company that he says draws on the lessons learned from the rise and fall of his earlier venture.

Speaking at the relaunch in Naggalabi, Wakiso District, Simon described the new organisation as an opportunity to rebuild rather than simply revive a company that had failed.

Horizon Media Uganda began as a production and online news company headquartered in Old Kampala. At its peak, the business employed about 15 people and became known for producing video content before financial difficulties forced it to suspend operations in 2018.

The collapse marked a turning point in Simon’s entrepreneurial journey.

Rather than immediately returning to the media business, company officials said the years that followed were spent reassessing the company’s structure and exploring options for a more sustainable model. The process culminated in the formation of Uganda National Media Group, which was officially unveiled this week.

UNMG will initially focus on digital publishing through National Horizon, an electronic newspaper expected to be distributed on commercial e-paper platforms before expanding into print.

Chief Executive Officer Ssentamu Derrick said the organisation intends to build its reputation on factual reporting while complying with Uganda’s media regulatory framework.

The company’s headquarters are located in Kibibi Town Council, Gombe, with operational offices in Naggalabi. Its leadership also includes Board Director Wasemi Sylvia and Non-Executive Director Isaac Ssegawa.

Guests attending the launch included Busiro East Member of Parliament Emmanuel Magoola and MK International Schools Director Bamulopa Sulaiman.

For Simon, the relaunch represents more than the introduction of a new media company. It is an attempt to prove that a business setback does not necessarily end an entrepreneur’s ambitions. Whether UNMG succeeds will depend on its ability to establish credibility, adapt to Uganda’s changing media landscape and build a sustainable business in an increasingly competitive industry.

As the company begins its next chapter, Simon’s own story mirrors that of many entrepreneurs whose first ventures did not succeed but who chose to return with a different strategy and renewed ambitions.

 

 

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