Power struggles rock Uganda Railways

President Museveni’s wishes of boosting regional trade and transport through an efficient rail transport system may be in jeopardy if reports coming from the corridors of Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) are to go by.

This publication has learnt that URC bosses instead of working towards a common goal envisaged by Uganda’s main land lord; they are instead busy fighting for power, control, favours, trips, AC offices and money from sale of scrap wagons, locomotives and rails.

The ‘washed’ ones are reportedly ever holed up in their offices enjoying ACs or on the plane instead of slopping just at the railway yard to inspect what is going on.

“There are some powerful managers that are always in the air flying to destinations chasing interests that don’t add value to the Corporation,” a whistleblower told this publication.

“The URC management is literally stuck given internal wrangles,” he adds.

We are told the power struggles are between three groups—old URC managers, those newly recruited and the UPDF personnel.

The old URC managers are reportedly those who were there before and during the times of fired former MD Stanley Sendegeya and Hannington Karuhanga led board. They reportedly feel they know and have seen it all and therefore shouldn’t be bulldozed by Johnnie-come-late lies.

Another group is that of powerful managers who were recruited recently by the Board on recommendation of the Ministry of Works. They came in with the new regime of MD CPA David Musoke Bulega who replaced Ssendegeya and Board chairperson Al-Hajji Abdallatiff Dhakaba Wangubo who replaced Karuhanga.

The third equally powerful group is reportedly that of UPDF officers who were recently incorporated in management of railway systems.

In March this year, the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs announced deployment of 22 Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) officers to execute different professional assignments at URC.

The team led by Lt. Col. Dr Julius Emmy Kumanya (PhD) includes accountants, procurement professionals, risk management officers, electrical, mechanical & civil engineers, surveyors and technicians.

This attachment was reportedly aimed at addressing the human resources gaps in the Corporation for better service delivery, but insiders say this group is now threatening the existence of other managers and feels it’s special.

We are told because of these fights, everything is at standstill.

Salaries are no longer paid in time.

“Salaries are being paid from money realized from sale of scrap wagons, locomotives and rails,” a whistleblower revealed, adding that even the staff payments of gratuity for the last six years haven’t been made.

We have even been told that two of the four shs48bn locomotives which were bought two years ago have since broken down but this is a story for another day.

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