Before the interview with Flavia Tumusiime – she of Capital FM, NTV, Beneath the Lies, and other things. The curvy beauty went to boarding primary school when she was about five or six years old. Wasn’t that hard?
Flavia says it wasn’t, because “I am an only child. I am not into crowds…there were teachers to love us”.
Much hullaballoo was made about your anchoring news at NTV. Colourful language was used to describe your body. Mbu you are so beautiful you turned on men’s worlds [Kyokka men!] How did that reaction make you feel?
It didn’t get to me, and I did not let it get to my head either. You know there are people who turn on their TVs to look at your shoe, your hairstyle… but I know what my target market expects and I am not blinded by my dress, my hips, thinking I am the biggest thing to happen to Kampala. I know I have to do my job.
There are some people who both listen and admire the news anchor’s hips [sorry female news anchors, but this really is the case.] Some of these people were circulating your photos on Facebook. They said some not-nice things about your blazers.
After a few times reading news, I wrote a Facebook post asking people what was working and what was not. About 10 to 15 people talked about fashion.
And didn’t you think the criticism too harsh?
No. It was constructive criticism. I have to know my audience’s likes and dislikes. I can cater for both audiences.
How did you get this job, by the way?
A couple of years ago, the manager of NTV Kenya approached me and told me that I should do news. She wanted me to do news in Uganda. I told her no, I can do anything else except news. This year in April, Maurice (Mugisha) invited me to do this (April Fool’s day) prank, where I read news. I was asked: “why not do this?” Life has fate. At the start of this year I had been wondering; I knew I wanted to do news on TV but thought I would have to relocate to Kenya.
You don’t have a journalism background, though, and some journalists on their Facebook pages wondered about your ability to read news. You must have had other naysayers…
When I was signing my contract, we understood that some people might react negatively. We knew that some people were going to ask: “Wait, she is going to do what?” But [Mugisha and I] knew I had what it took. You know somepeople were bitter. They asked, “Isn’t there someone else with the skill who could do it?”
Eh! Sorry! You have so many jobs! Some people must wonder how you don’t tire [and how she is so lucky]! Why are you still hustling so hard!
Hahaa, people ask me: “Aren’t you tired?” [Flavia started working as a teenager and she dabbles in a number of things!] I tell them I will get tired at 30.
Why 30?
I always say I would like to have my firstkid at 30. When I have a family, I don’t want to have to scrape for a living. I have to put in a lot now.
Speaking of children, a tabloid report once said that you were expecting! In fact, it said you were ready to pop. [We waited and waited for baby but baby didn’t come.]
Wait; there was a report like that?
[Remembering:] Oh yes! They said I was bulging.
Were you bulging, though?
I wouldn’t know. I don’t listen to what people say, though, because you might end up bleaching and wearing implants. And then you might have to change the way you look again because when you gain weight, people say: “Eh, eh,ngayou are putting on weight!”
When you lose some, they say: “Nga you are small. Are you sick?”
You just have to make yourself comfortable. I work out three times a week because I want to see my children [if she gains or loses weight, that’s her business].
Would you want your partner in the labour ward with you when the babies start popping?
That’s a personal choice. I would want the man there. It’s precious to bring a child into the world. It’s traumatising too.
He could faint. Some men have fainted on seeing all the blood.
Let him faint. I would want for him to be there to get the experience for himself. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind being with just the [midwife] and my mum.
OK… What is your greatest regret in life?
Maybe I shouldn’t have allowed myself to put up too many walls. I should have enjoyed myself more. I see friends enjoying themselves, but I can’t. If I am in a crowd where there are five people I don’t know, I just dance from my seat.
Oh dear! You may have put up walls but you still could have spotted a policeman’s butt you would want to tap…
I have never understood people who tap other people’s butts. I would want to turn and give them a hot slap!
Eh! Hope I don’t get a hot slap for asking your preference in underwear…
Wow, I have a diverse range. But I like G-strings because you know women; we don’t want lines showing in dresses.
Finally, if you were going to be given amnesia and were allowed to keep one memory, which one would you keep?
I think I would like to remember my mother’s life. She is the most consistent figure in my life. [Flavia’s father passed away.]
Source: The Observer
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