Developing Story: Suspended UBC Staff Conspires to Take Over 102 Mega FM in Gulu, UBC Management Denied Access to Premises

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Uganda Broadcasting Corporation has intervened to regain full control and management of Mega FM station based in Gulu. Allegedly deemed non-existent by Jovia Atek, the station’s manager, it was rebranded as Mega Broadcast Limited with a fully instituted board of directors chaired by Amuru RDC Stephen Odong Latek under private management. It is reported that Odong is under suspension, though he issued a statement regarding his annual leave for 30 days effective 12th February 2024, leaving the Deputy RDC Acham Proscovia in charge of the office.

This happened under the oversight of Irene Jovia Atek, who was appointed station manager in 2011 and is accused of falsifying documents in an attempt to turn a public station into a limited company, and failing to report to the corporation’s leadership structure.

According to UBC Management, Irene, after shunning several summons to respond to queries, a resolution was passed to suspend her to allow for a detailed audit and streamline the station’s operations. The process led to the institution of a six-member committee to oversee the process, whose institutional administrative assignment was frustrated by the Amuru District RDC Odong Latek, who we have learned is on suspension over indictment.

The station under Stephen Odong Latek as chairman of the board of directors as a legal entity is what caught UBC Management by surprise, and it is reported that at the time of these developments, UBC 102 Mega FM had gained momentum to sustain its operations in terms of self-generating revenue and a separate account (Radio Uganda – Mega FM).

On 4th April 2024, a team involving the Manager UBC Radios Doreen Ndeezi, Engineer Bob Rich, the Corporation Secretary, Head of Sales and Marketing, the Auditor, Accountant, and Public Relations Officer were denied access to Mega FM premises by a Private Security Guard working with Corporate Security Services Limited tasked with guarding the station.

Despite efforts to navigate through and meet the Station Manager who was suspended, there was no breakthrough as she was reportedly out of the office at the time. Employees who preferred anonymity expressed concern over their fate if the matter is not handled amicably as it would jeopardize their employment. They showed cause as to why the government through the Ministry of ICT would fail to give a standing order over the matter to be resolved without creating unnecessary conflicts.

Letters have been written by UBC to the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Minister for Presidency, Permanent Secretary Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Resident City Commissioner Gulu, Resident District Commissioner Amuru, Regional Police Commissioner ASWA, District Police Commander Gulu, and the UBC board seeking intervention in the illegal conspiracy to take over the operation of 102 Mega FM to turn it into a private entity but not much has been achieved until the senior officers were denied access to their own radio.

The 2005 UBC Act created Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, UBC, vesting all Radio Uganda and UTV assets in UBC, including 102 Mega FM in Gulu.

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