The ministry of Finance will not release Shs 20 billion to the heavily indebted Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) until the entire board and top management is disbanded.
Finance minister Matia Kasaija says this is the condition set by the ministry before releasing Shs 20 billion for capitalizing the national broadcaster in the FY 2017/18.
While presenting the national budget framework paper for the 2017/18 before the Budget committee in parliament yesterday, Kasaija noted that a recent audit by the ministry found that most of the problems surrounding UBC are linked to mismanagement.
“All the problems of UBC are managerial. That’s all. And I have had a discussion with my colleague Frank [Tumwebaze, ICT minister], I have said please, either you change management in that place, halt the board and the execution or I will not give you this Shs 20 billion. I put it in the budget but I will not release it to you and we have agreed that he is going to take action. I hope.”
The minister’s directive comes months after a seven-man committee, chaired by veteran journalist, Peter Mwesige was set up by Information and ICT minister, Frank Tumwebaze, to assess the organizational capacity, quality of content, archiving capacity and funding of the national broadcaster.
The committee handed over its report to Tumwebaze, also stating that the national broadcaster is grossly mismanaged and underfunded, and requires restructuring. Some legislators say the Shs 20 billion earmarked for capitalizing UBC is too little.
When contacted, Tumwebaze expressed surprise at Kasaija’s directive. He however, admitted that the review committee unearthed a lot of loopholes within the corporation.
“It is my ministry which sought for the probe into UBC operations. We are finalizing with the plan so that cabinet can look into it and also recommend the next course,” Tumwebaze said on phone.
In November last year, sections of UBC staff threatened to strike after management delayed to pay their salaries for two months. UBC was formed following the merger between Uganda Television and Radio Uganda in line with the “Uganda Broadcasting Corporation Act, 2004”. Currently, UBC operates several radio and television channels spread across Uganda.