|
William Pike resigns, Kabushenga new MD
Simon Kasyate PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has made good his Independence Day threat and shaken the New Vision from its very foundation. After 20 years at the helm, William Pike, a British
National, who
transformed the New Vision from a typical mismanaged and loss-making government parastatal into one of the most respected and profitable companies in Uganda, has been dropped. What could have been the last straw to make
President Museveni's patience
snap after several warning to the media house was a headline story last week, " LRA war resumes" written by reporter Fortunate Ahimbisibwe. The story extensively quoted army spokesman Maj.
Felix Kulayigye saying the
army had resumed operations to root out remnants of the LRA in Northern Uganda. According to a source that preferred anonymity, the story was prejudicial to the peace talks in Juba. The same source also intimated to Daily Monitor
that Pike was summoned to
State House to answer why he 'let through' such a story. In his Independence Day speech to the nation, President Museveni vowed to 'sort out' the New Vision. "I am going to sort out the New Vision. New Vision
has been very useless for
a very long time," he said further accusing the daily of publishing very shallow analysis of 'serious' issues. A highly placed source at the New Vision who spoke
on conditions of
anonymity told Daily Monitor last evening that the axe has been looming over Pike's head after failure to effect a board decision to fire three top employees; his deputy David Sseppuuyya, Editor John Kakande and the Chief sub editor Ben Opolot. Talk around The New Vision has been that Pike was
ordered to sack the three
for not providing 'loyal coverage' to one of the presidential candidates during the run up to the February presidential and Parliamentary elections. A source that preferred anonymity said the NRM government had got tired of Pike who made no secret that he was deeply opposed to the third term project. Information obtained by Daily Monitor indicates
that Media Chief boss Robert
Kabushenga has replaced Pike as managing director. Kabushenga has been replaced by Mr Isaac Omoding who was working with Business Week, a struggling weekly. Omoding worked with The New Vision as Business sub editor from where he resigned to start the Procurement News which struggled to stay afloat by changing to Business Week. Speculation about Kabushenga's takeover has been
rife since late last year
especially after the government delayed to renew Pike's contract. Kabushenga served at The New Vision as a casual labourer from where he earned money and pursued a degree in law and later joined the mainstream New Vision as legal officer. After Mr Patrick Kiggundu resigned as corporation
secretary, Kabushenga was
appointed to the post he held until mid 2005 when the government set up the Media Centre to manage its public relations in the wake of the struggle to amend the Constitution and allow a third term for President Yoweri Museveni. Information from The New Vision indicates that
staff was told that Pike had
resigned to take on private business. Facing stiff competition from a new and refurbished Daily Monitor, it is not clear whether the paper will cope. The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
_______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list Ugandanet@kym.net http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ---------------------------------------
