Management said a preliminary review found the episode to be “in serious breach of the Next Media Editorial Guidelines and the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Minimum Broadcasting Standards.”
Sanyuka Television has suspended The Barometer host Adam Kungu following a serious breach of editorial policy and broadcasting standards. The suspension follows an episode aired on February 2, 2026, which included derogatory remarks, unverified allegations, and personal attacks.
The station’s management cited violations of Next Media Editorial Guidelines and Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Minimum Broadcasting Standards. Kungu, as host, and the production team are held responsible for the show’s descent into chaos.
In a letter dated February 4, 2026, the station issued an “IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION AND NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION: VIOLATION OF EDITORIAL POLICY & BROADCASTING STANDARDS IN RESPECT TO ‘THE BAROMETER’ EPISODE OF TUESDAY, 2ND FEBRUARY 2026.”
“This communication serves as formal notice in respect to the above captioned,” the letter states.
Management said a preliminary review found the episode to be “in serious breach of the Next Media Editorial Guidelines and the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Minimum Broadcasting Standards.”
It adds that the dialogue included “references to age in a derogatory manner, allegations of madness, questioning of educational credentials, references to forged documents, and highly inappropriate personal remarks regarding health and marital status.”
The station noted that the content violated key principles of broadcasting.
“Responsibility & Ethical Standards: Failure to maintain decorum and civility. Accuracy: Allowing unverified and damaging allegations to be aired without challenge and substantiation. Public Interest: The show devolved into personal feud, failing to inform the public on substantive issues,” the letter reads.
MP’s Revenge: Nsibambi Cuts Off Power From Villagers That Denied Him Votes
Sanyuka emphasised that as host of The Barometer, a flagship political programme with an estimated audience of more than 13 million viewers across television and digital platforms, Kungu bears primary responsibility for the direction, tone, and control of the live broadcast. The producer and production team also share that responsibility.
“The show’s descent into chaos demonstrates a profound failure by the on-air and production team to ‘take charge and control of the guests and the show, as mandated by your role and our standards,” management wrote.
The broadcaster said the suspension will cover the next two scheduled episodes as investigations continue.
“SUSPENSION: You are hereby suspended from hosting ‘The Barometer’ for the next two (2) scheduled episodes, pending a full investigation,” the letter states.
“INVESTIGATION: A formal investigation is hereby instituted. You, the Producer, and the entire ‘Barometer’ team for that episode will be required to provide written statements and participate in hearings,” the station said.
The hearings will examine “the lack of intervention to steer the conversation back to professional discourse,” “the failure to enforce editorial controls during pre-show briefing and during the live broadcast,” and “any systemic issues that led to this failure.”
Sanyuka said the action aims to uphold the integrity of the station and Next Media as a brand.
