MPs Question Reports On UBC Sale
MPs Question Reports On UBC Sale
A section of legislators have put government to task to explain reports that Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) is on sale.
Kasilo County MP, Elijah Okupa raised the matter in Parliament during today’s plenary sitting where he questioned plans to sell UBC, which has over the past years, been struggling financially.
Okupa said reports indicate that the company is being sold to a Chinese company, which he did not name, and demanded that the Information and ICT ministry explains the matter.
“We need to know what’s going on because as far as we know, this is the only public broadcaster,” Okupa demanded.
However, government distanced itself from the reports.
State Minister of Finance in charge of planning, David Bahati explained to the House that government had no plans of selling UBC.
“The government does not in any way have plans to sell it,” Bahati explained. He revealed that government plans to capitalize UBC in the 2017/2018 financial year with a Ugx 20 billion investment.
UBC has been grappling with finances for years. Last year saw a series of strikes by workers of the national broadcaster over delayed salary payments.
A committee appointed by the Information and ICT minister, Frank Tumwebaze, in its investigations, recommended that UBC is overhauled and new management put in place to commence a proper restructuring process.
@Parliament Watch