Butebo Channel

The concept of Butebo radio was developed by former president Dr. Apollo Milton Obote in his first term as president. Back then, Radio Uganda was the only local radio station in the country.

The challenge was that it majorly aired in English, since accommodating the variety of local languages in the country was impossible. It is then that the idea of having different channels for the different regions was developed. Butebo county in Pallisa district was chosen to accommodate the station, which explains the station’s name.

Construction of the station began in 1969 and ended in 1971 when Idi Amin had just taken over power. It was commissioned by President Idi Amin in November the same year.

The station was intended to cover the eastern and north-eastern regions of Uganda as the primary area of service. The secondary area extended beyond Uganda into parts of western Kenya and parts of southern Sudan and Zaire.