Tony Otoa: BBQ Master, Secret DJ, and Life of the Party

Tony Otoa, head of corporate affairs at UNOC, steps away from boardrooms to reveal his passion for barbecuing, road trips, and lively social scenes.

Celebrating his birthday with two BBQs this year—one in summer and one in December—he teases potential invites for fans. He’d target a close friend turning 45 for a playful ‘luseke’ scheme, keeping names under wraps.

Nothing beats the satisfaction of perfectly smoked meat over a sharp media statement, Otoa insists. He prefers rescuing overcooked ribs to managing media crises, thanks to the control over the grill’s fire.

His grill would describe him as a meticulous, service-oriented leader who excels at tasks while helping others. An early career mishap saw him spin a Bank of Uganda briefing story that aired all day, teaching him his limits in economics reporting.

Grilling sessions demand ‘Murder She Wrote’ by Chaka Demus and Pliers. If handed Balimwezo’s parliamentary seat briefly, he’d tackle Kampala’s boda boda chaos and road discipline as a fellow biker.

For a visitor’s Kampala nightlife tour, it starts at his local kafunda, moves to Bandali Rise, and ideally ends at Club Guvnor with classics—if it were open.

Dream BBQ guests include his late father, Thomas Sankara for deep talks on liberation, and friend Conrad, who’s banned from the grill for his burger-only skills.

Professionally, a killer headline trumps marinade, especially after UNOC’s recent nod as top-performing agency. He wooed his wife with cooking, and surprises colleagues by DJing privately.

Media pros are his toughest audience over diplomats or brisket. Kenyans edge Ugandans in X clapbacks. For a boys’ trip, he’d pick ex-MP Odonga Otto for smart debates and fun.

Men’s ‘let’s see how the week goes’ is often a soft no, he says. He skips violent trolls on X and embraces Gen Z travel vibes, planning a camper van adventure.

In his crew, Otoa is the vibe-bringer. He’d choose an Africa road trip with pals over a cook-off with Bobby Flay. Ghosting sucks either way, and a good day means hitting planned goals.

Source: Daily Monitor