How Santa Media Uganda is Reshaping Mobile-First Journalism

• Kenneth Galiwango founded Santa Media Uganda under Santa Media Initiative Ltd.

• The former Mpererwe barber taught himself the digital skills needed to build the newsroom.

• The outlet became the first Ugandan media entity to secure TikTok’s Verified Business Account status.

• It plans to expand multimedia content, live reporting and talent development across East Africa.

In East Africa’s fast-moving digital landscape, the way young citizens consume news has shifted. Previous generations tuned into scheduled evening television broadcasts or picked up morning newspapers. Today’s connected youth expect instant, visual information delivered directly to their social feeds.

At the heart of this transformation in Kampala is Santa Media Uganda, a growing digital news network built for the smartphone era.

Digital entrepreneur Kenneth Galiwango, widely known as Galiwango Kenneth, founded the outlet under Santa Media Initiative Ltd. He established it to bridge a growing divide in East African journalism: delivering vetted, real-time news to an audience that demands speed without sacrificing context or accuracy.

Galiwango’s journey began as a barber in Mpererwe, Kampala. He recognised how mobile platforms were changing public conversation among Uganda’s youth.

He taught himself web development, search engine optimisation (SEO), video editing and audience analytics. These skills helped him build the technical and editorial foundation that took Santa Media Uganda from a local concept to a multiplatform newsroom.

As online misinformation challenges digital publishers, Santa Media Uganda has made platform accountability a central focus. By combining corporate compliance with active digital publishing, the organisation became the first media entity in Uganda to secure official Verified Business Account (VBA) status on TikTok.

This badge highlights a broader trend across African media. Short-form video platforms have become key news delivery networks that require formal standards, editorial verification and publisher compliance.

Growing an independent digital newsroom comes with challenges. Through data-driven reporting and a mobile-first strategy, Santa Media Uganda continues to expand its regional presence.

The outlet plans to expand its multimedia offerings, increase live video reporting and develop talent across East Africa. It aims to become a key voice for the digital generation.