Shaka Ssali, the former host of Voice of America’s flagship weekly program Straight Talk Africa, is set to be cremated following his passing in March 2025.
Born in Kabale, Uganda, Ssali fled into exile after the rise of Idi Amin in 1971 and later pursued higher education in the United States. He went on to earn a PhD in cross-cultural communication and joined Voice of America in 1986.
For over two decades, Ssali was the face of Straight Talk Africa, a platform that amplified critical conversations across the continent. He was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to media in Africa. Dr. Ssali passed away on March 26, 2025.
According to the burial program, a public viewing and cremation ceremony will take place on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Jefferson Funeral Chapel, 5755 Castlewellan Dr., Alexandria, VA 22315.
The Daily Star has learned that Dr. Ssali had personally opted for cremation instead of repatriating his remains to Uganda. His ashes will later be flown home and sprinkled across his native Kabale and other regions of Africa—lands he deeply loved and longed to see flourish in democracy and stability.
