NTV Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Okello Oryem — But Who Questions His Record?

After being dropped from Museveni’s cabinet in May this year, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Okello Oryem appears to be longing for a return to government after spending 20 years serving the Museveni regime. From his remarks, one gets the impression that he misses not just the office, but also the privileges that come with it: the ministerial salary, official vehicles, and the comfort and status attached to power. But what makes this story even more interesting is how NTV presented it. Instead of subjecting a man who spent two decades in government to tough questions about his record, the interview appeared to give Oryem a platform to praise himself without meaningful pushback. Where were the questions about his 20 years in office? What does he consider his greatest achievement? What responsibility does he take for the government’s foreign policy record during his tenure? And why should the public believe he deserves another appointment? Those are the questions a serious journalist should be asking. If this was meant to be journalism, where was the scrutiny? It came across less like an accountability interview and more like a public-relations opportunity for a former minister hoping to return to the corridors of power. After 20 years in government, Okello Oryem should be explaining his record to the public—not simply reminding us of the office he once occupied.