The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has opened a 14-day window for public comments on an application that would transfer Capital FM (2015) Limited’s broadcasting licences to Next Media Services Limited and its majority owner, Kin Ibrahim Kariisa. If approved, Next Media and Kariisa would acquire 100 percent ownership and control of the company that holds nine radio licences, including the long-running Capital FM brand.
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The notice, published on 14 September 2026, lists Capital FM’s current shareholders as Patrick Quarcoo (37.6 percent), William Edward Cathcart (37.6 percent), Hannington Rubarenza Karuhanga (12.5 percent), Samuel Wanzunula Mangaali (9.3 percent) and Albert Ayorinde Ajayi (2.7 percent). Next Media Services is already 99.9 percent owned by Kariisa. Public comments must be sent by 28 September.
The regulatory step comes months after industry reports described a June 2026 “strategic collaboration” that later became a full acquisition valued in some accounts at around Shs 12 billion. The stations involved include Capital FM, Beat FM and KIIS 100.9 FM.
What people are saying
Public reaction on X has been mixed but pointed. Several users treat the consultation as largely ceremonial. One commenter wrote that the sale “happened already” and that asking for views now only makes the public “feel important.” Another asked why UCC seeks input on this transaction when it did not invite comments before internet shutdowns.
Editorial independence is the sharpest concern. Users who remember Capital FM’s political talk shows, particularly Capital Gang, worry that Next Media’s existing output will change the station’s tone. One reply described the move as “the demise of Capital FM’s objectivity” and predicted it would become “Uganda’s no. 1 free radio station” no longer. Another compared Next Media unfavourably with Capital’s previous reputation for more balanced corporate programming.
Not all voices are opposed. A former presenter publicly supported the transfer, arguing Kariisa has “revolutionized the media industry” and that the change would improve Capital FM and Beat FM. A Capital FM on-air personality responded with humour, saying he was “getting the first flight back to Uganda” to work with the new owners. Some listeners simply said they no longer follow radio and therefore have no stake.
A smaller group focused on process rather than personalities. One user noted that UCC must still check compliance and potential liabilities before any transfer can be completed. Others redirected the conversation toward telecom pricing, arguing that MTN and Airtel affect more Ugandans daily than radio ownership.
The comments reveal a familiar tension in Uganda’s media sector: consolidation promises scale and cross-platform advertising muscle, yet many listeners fear it reduces viewpoint diversity. Capital FM has long been associated with urban professionals and policy discussion. Next Media already operates NBS Television, Next Radio and several digital properties. Combining the two portfolios would give Kariisa one of the country’s widest broadcast and digital footprints.
UCC is required under the Uganda Communications Act to consider public interest before deciding. Whether the 14-day comment period produces meaningful input or simply records existing scepticism remains to be seen. The regulator has not indicated how it will weigh individual submissions against the commercial and licensing arguments already on file.
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