While our media wakes up to new stories from South Sudan where our forces are fighting alongside the government forces there to defeat the RiekMachar rebels, battle lines have already drawn at the country’s government broadcaster Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.
The media has been awash with the power struggles at UBC that were ignited by one Paul Kihika an NRM cadre from AmamaMbabazi’s camp. It was a shock to many when they heard that Paul Kihika had been appointed as the new Managing Director of Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. Our investigation reveals that the AmamaMbabazi man does not measure up to the profile that should fit in the current UBC MD docket. Our sources informed us that Kihika has been more of a threatening MD than an inspiring and motivating one.
Jane Kasumba
Enter Jane Kasumba’s UBC Suspension.
Jane Kasumba is UBC’s public relations and communications manager, but is mostly known to Ugandan TV audiences as the pioneer female presenter who made a name analyzing sports. Ugandan media houses have been on an attacking spree of the person of Jane Kasumba without understanding the genesis of the whole story and the power struggles at UBC. As far as UBC is concerned, apart from Patrick Luwandaga and Francis Bbale, Jane is the face of UBC. According to our inside sources at UBC, Kihika has introduced the village way of doing things and some of the staff at the national media house have confided in us by telling us that Jane Kasumba is being crucified for being professional at what she does. Her professionalism is a threat to Kihika’s lesser than stellar experience and exposure in the industry. So getting Jane out of the way is the best thing to do for his interests.
“Paul Kihika as a Managing Director has stretched beyond his responsibilities,” said one of the staff at UBC who requested anonymity; he continued, “The MD has been sighted meddling in the Public Relations docket that belongs to Jane Kasumba something that has dragged on for many months, but has so far remained unresolved.” Our sources continued to intimate to us that Media Center boss, Mr. OfwonoOpondo’s sister Jessica has been sent on directives to deputise Jane Kasumbaafterwhich she will take over when Kasumba is fired.
Jane Kasumba is currently serving a suspension of two and half months on half pay, a move that is mooted to curve a way to get her out of the picture at UBC.