By BigEyeUg Team
Veteran journalist and media personality Faridah Nakazibwe has finally opened up about the real reason behind her decision to quit television after 17 years on screen.
The celebrated presenter, who resigned from NTV Uganda in October 2023, says the emotional toll of hosting Mwasuze Mutya played a major role in her decision to walk away.
According to Faridah, the program that made her one of the most respected and loved TV figures in Uganda also drained her emotionally over time. She revealed that listening to and sharing the heartbreaking stories of guests on Mwasuze Mutya began to weigh heavily on her mental health.
“I used to think I was strong and I tried,” Faridah confessed. “But one day, either because I had done it for too long, or because a lot was happening in my life and with my family, I started losing interest. I didn’t tell anyone, but I felt it in my body.”
The former NTV Mwasuze Mutya host says she often struggled to find the emotional strength to go to work. Despite her professionalism, the pain in the stories she shared with viewers began to mirror her own struggles, leaving her broken and exhausted.
“There were days I woke up and didn’t want to go to work, but I had to,” she continued. “Day by day, the more I interacted with people with sad stories, the more I broke down.”
Faridah recalled one particular episode that completely broke her down — when she hosted a woman who had lost both her legs in a road accident along Kira Road.
“That woman brought out my emotions and I even cried on the show,” she revealed. “People didn’t notice because they were playing her photos on screen during the moment I broke down. I told the producer to cut, and I cried with the guest.”
Although Faridah had encountered many painful stories before, she said this particular one came at a time when she was emotionally vulnerable, making it harder for her to keep her composure.
Since leaving TV, Faridah has been focusing on her personal growth, family, and other ventures away from the screen.