From Prime-Time Glory to a Street Memory: What a Tattered WBS Jacket Teaches Uganda About Power, Loss, and Humanity

In the middle of a dusty Kampala street, a man—dismissed by society as “mad”—walks silently with a torn jacket on his back. Faded but still recognisable, the logo reads: WBS TELEVISION.

To many Ugandans, this image may evoke nostalgia. Once a media giant, WBS was the heartbeat of entertainment before digital disruption reached our borders. From “Jam Agenda,” to “WBS Eyange TV Station Esinga….,” to late-night movies that defined a generation, the station shaped Uganda’s pop culture and dominated prime-time television.

But like the fading colours on that jacket, WBS itself collapsed—brought down by overwhelming tax arrears, stiff competition, and managerial turbulence. In 2016, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) took over the station due to unpaid taxes amounting to billions. Equipment was auctioned. Staff were dispersed. And an era came to a quiet, painful end. Years later, all that remains is a memory—stitched on the back of a man society barely sees.

The Jacket Tells Two Stories—One Corporate, One Human

The tattered WBS jacket is more than old cloth.
It is a symbol of the ephemerality of power, fame, and institutional pride. But equally important is the man wearing it.

He, too, has a past.
A family.
A story.
A journey that society no longer cares to listen to. We mourn collapsed institutions more loudly than collapsed human beings.

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While Ugandans lamented the end of WBS—one of the most influential TV stations of its time—few pause to consider the silent, untelevised tragedy of individuals who fall through the cracks of society.

Lessons From a Forgotten Jacket

This striking image forces us to reflect on deeper truths:

• Power is temporary — what dominates today can disappear tomorrow.

• Titles fade — from CEO to intern, nothing guarantees permanence.

• Companies collapse — even giants like WBS can be choked by debt and changing times.

• Character endures — what remains beyond status is who we are, not what we own.

• Humanity matters — every person, even the one walking the streets unnoticed, deserves dignity.

In a country where corporate downfalls often dominate headlines while personal tragedies are ignored, this moment reminds us to see people before institutions.

The collapse of WBS is a national memory.
But the quiet suffering of one Ugandan man—perhaps once a child with dreams—is a reminder of what truly requires our attention.

A Call for Empathy

As the jacket continues to fade, let it remind us that no level of success is immune to decline.
And no level of brokenness diminishes a person’s humanity. Before mourning another fallen company, may Uganda learn also to see, listen to, and uplift its fallen people.

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