KAMPALA.
Daniel Kalinaki, the General Manager – Editorial of Nation Media Group , is set to retire on April 1, 2026, winding up a journalism career that spans three decades .
In a memo to staff, NMG Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa confirmed that Kalinaki’s request for retirement had been accepted, praising his contributions to the Daily Monitor and the wider Ugandan media landscape.
“Daniel’s retirement is richly deserved, and we wish him the best in his future endeavours,” Nsibirwa wrote, noting that an appointment for new leadership will be announced in due course.
Kalinaki who is fondly called DK by peers , joined Daily Monitor in 1998 after his previous employer, The Crusader newspaper, closed, has worked in almost all sections of the paper — sports, photography, editing, news reporting, a columnist, features, managing editor and general manager.
He became News Editor in 2003 and, in 2008, at just 28 years old, was promoted to become the publication’s youngest Managing Editor. He also led the Kampala Bureau of The East African Newspaper, editing the regional publication while overseeing editorial operations in Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout his career, Kalinaki has been credited with steering landmark investigations and breaking major stories, helping to define independent journalism in Uganda.
He also spearheaded digital transformation initiatives at the Daily Monitor, ensuring that the publication remained competitive as readership shifted online.
Beyond newsroom leadership, Kalinaki ,45 has played a key role in mentoring journalists within Uganda and across the region.
He has also taught journalism at Makerere University, sharing his expertise and shaping a new generation of reporters and editors.
In 2023, Kalinaki and Susan Nsibirwa competed for the position of Managing Director to replace retiring expatriate Tony Glencross. Nsibirwa eventually prevailed in the highly contested process and was appointed on December 19,2023 and accused office in January 2024 .
The two leaders were not always at their best working together, with Kalinaki continuing to wield immense editorial influence and reference among the political and business leaders in the country.
Nsibirwa who in her initial years worked as a reporter at Monitor , by contrast, preferred to work closely with younger editors like Allan Chekwech who is currently serving as managing editor and, to some degree, Tabu Butagira, one of the few remaining serving editors who is seen as a potential successor to Kalinaki.