Don Wanyama, President Yoweri Museveni’s spokesperson has turned down the opportunity to manage Vision Group media empire, sources reveal.
Our sources, credible and conversant with the nitty gritty of the machinations to find a replacement for Robert Kabushenga, intimated to us Wanyama has indicated to those recruiting he is not interested in taking the job.
Kabushenga announced his resignation at the end of January and since the, speculation has been rife about his possible replacements with many names linked to the job.
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The sources also intimated to us that contrary to Kabushenga’s reasons to quit the job he held for 14 years, a myriad of issues culminated in his exit with claims that he was actually ordered to step down.
“This is to let you know that for personal reasons, i have asked the board for an early retirement and this has been accepted,” Kabushenga said in an email to staff.
According to the source, The New Vision and Bukedde newspapers that are part of the media empire were giving the government bad press giving chance to former Presidential candidate Bobi Wine room to rise.
“Bukedde being a Luganda paper, they thought they were doing their duty to inform their audience and maximise sales when actually it was causing damage with coverage on Bobi Wine. It is the reason in one of his COVID addresses, President Museveni singled out the now outgoing Kabushenga for veiled rebuke,” the source said.
The speakership battle has also been dragged into the reasons that forced Kabushenga to quit, the source adds, saying ever since his announcement, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has dominated cover stories of the New Vision.
Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah are in the race for speakership job with elections expected in May.