Veteran radio and TV host, Claire Choppa, who earned fame for her long stint on Mbarara’s Radio West and TV West has died at the age of 53.
The outgoing media personality whose voice rang daily across airwaves in Western Uganda for the last 25 years, was pronounced dead Sunday at Divine Mercy Hospital in Rwebikoona in Mbarara where she had been admitted.
Reports state she succumbed to complications related to hypertension.
Until her death, she was Manager at the Mbarara-based Greater African Radio, a role she took on after being recalled from her retirement to revive the radio whose listenership had dipped.
Professionally trained as a teacher, Choppa, real names Claire Caroline Ekiyaasiimire, rose to popularity in the early 2000s for her outgoing character as host of the popular afternoon segment Wagahuriire on Radio West. During her 9-year stint on the Vision Group-owned vernacular broadcaster, Choppa also hosted shows like Nyamunyonyi, Tuseeture and Omweshongozi wa Uganda.
It was during the fame that Radio West handed her that her listeners’ club gave her the moniker ‘Choppa’.
When Vision Group launched TV West in an attempt to create a channel that would address the needs of the vernacular – Runyakitara – audience, Choppa had earned the approval of the VG ExCo to lead the operation.
“Never mind that there were more Senior people [especially those at the helm of Orumuri and Radio West] in Mbarara who were best suited to lead TV West. Of course, they weren’t impressed with the fact that I was picked instead,” Choppa disclosed in a recent interview on Shutama Na Nyamwiza.
The internal intrigue and corporate politics that ensued after launching TV West would especially make the project burdensome for her.
“Robert Kabushenga [then chief exec of Vision Group] asked me.. ‘Will you manage?’ And I said I would. He handed me a team but unfortunately, this team was not as committed. You know most people want to associate with successful stories but they don’t want to put in the work at the beginning,” she added.
She would be given the autonomy to put together the crew, producers and to source for on-air talent that would run the daily programming of the new TV channel. On top of hosting Eiraka ry’Abakazi on the same TV.
Looking back, she recounted the hurdles, including technical challenges (programming was still analog), power dynamics at VG’s Mbarara operation, the strenuous demands that came with the convergence model which meant she would be both radio and TV host, that became a regular cycle, draining her enthusiasm.
“The intrigue heightened and became a daily challenge,” she revealed in the interview, adding that the disgruntled seniors continued to pit her against the Management team in Kampala, projecting her as incompetent in managing TV affairs.
It was that work environment that set the backdrop for her to take a hiatus from the media and explore opportunities in entrepreneurship, something she was equally passionate about. She has done businesses in farming, fashion and beverages.
Later on, she would be tapped to be programs director on Endigyito Radio, another radio station in Mbarara, where she worked for 5 years hosting Ebaruha and Kooti y’Amaka.
Choppa was again headhunted and considered to revive Dr. Kihura Nkuba’s Greater African Radio in Mbarara, where she has been Manager at the time she passed on.
Reflecting on her life, the mother of three sons said; “My entire life, I was never the kind that looked at a man as my sole provider. For that reason, I never considered getting married to a wealthy man, rather someone that has ideas and is ambitious.”
She sired the three sons with Patrick Kabagambe, another veteran radio host who has been on Radio West for more than two decades. Kabagambe rose to popularity for his gusto in delivering shows like Akagwe and Owakutanga Aheru.
In describing the fallen presenter, Shaay Shohole alias Dr. Shaay who worked with Choppa on radio and TV for 15 years used synonyms like “a force” and “a household name”.
“I met her before I actually started working with Vision Group. She was one of those celebrities you revered, feared and never even thought you would get close to, let alone be friends with her or work with her,” Dr. Shaay told PLUGGED on Sunday.
Shaay who was a local singer at the time was among the popular names that were headhunted to join TV West as a way to quickly earn viewership. On TV, Dr. Shaay hosted Ekirigime, Kyamuka and Nyowe Nkanye. He would also later host Goodnight Melodies, a latenight show on Radio West.
He describes Choppa as “a no nonsense woman” who pushed her team to deliver results.
“There were those days when I underperformed and she would warn me. She would remind me that my job was on the line if I didn’t give it my all. But that constructive criticism shaped me to become a better presenter,” he recounts.
Shaay credits Choppa for her leadership and managerial attributes which he says were never questioned by those she led. Had it not been the good attributes that Group in Kampala picked up in the corridor chatter, she would never have been entrusted with the roles she got, he adds.
“She has been a driving force, inspiring young people. As a presenter, she was a natural talent and had a commanding voice. She was also good with her research which made her a credible source of information. If a listener heard Choppa say something on the air, they took it to be gospel truth,” he says.
Born in Bugangari, Rujumbura county in Rukungiri district, a young Claire dreamt of pursuing journalism or law after school. The eldest of eight siblings went to Rwanyanja Primary School and Kinyasano Girls High School both in Rukungiri, before proceeding to Bishop Comboni College, Kambuga in Kanungu district where she completed her S6.
Not even cultural stereotypes – especially her dad’s insistence that she drops out of school to get married – could slow her resolve to advance her education to tertiary level. Having missed a government scholarship at Makerere University by a few points, she was offered Auditing at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) in Nakawa.
However, financial constraints coupled with her lack of enthusiasm towards the course forced her to pursue teaching (Divinity and Geography) at the National Teachers College in Kakoba, Mbarara.
Before the late Sulaiman Tiguragara Majojo Ssalongo (ex Manager at Radio West) handed her her first shot as a radio presenter, she had taught at Nyamitanga Secondary School, Ngabo Academy and Mbarara Central High School.
In the latter phase of her life, Choppa took interest in elective politics and was considered vying yet again for Mbarara City Woman MP in 2026 after a similar attempt in the 2021 elections.
