MP Margaret Muhanga being cross-examined for her role in buying UBC land in Bugolobi at 10billion shillings which is public land

Margaret Muhanga was implicated among those who engaged in stealing over 23 acres of land that belong to the state broadcaster accord.
Muhanga through her lawyer, Joseph Kyazze,had earlier informed the committee that UBC sold the said land to a company Habour Group at tune of 11.5 billion Uganda shillings.

However, the company later went to court challenging the transaction and court ordered Habour Group together with Deo and sons company advocates who were in charge of the property by then to return the title to UBC.

According to the agreement, UBC was meant to compensate the group within 60 days but failed to meet the deadline and hence with the help of court bailiffs, the land was later sold to Muhanga at 10.5 billion shillings.

Simon Kaheru, the newly appointed managing director of UBC however informed the committee that they appealed to the Supreme Court which ruled that the land should be returned to UBC as it was acquired through fraudulent means.

This prompted the chairperson of the committee, on. Anita Among to direct Muhangi to return the land title by Friday.

Moses Kasibante, the Lubaga North Member of Parliament who also a committee member however argued that given the MP up to  Friday will enable her make that ‘title to change names like it was done in court before’.

He said the accused should instead produce the said land title by Wednesday.

The post MP given ultimatum in a fraudulent purchase of UBC land first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Bbale Francis one of the longest serving anchors to ever grace the television screens. His baritone  voice was a joy to listen to and his presence while doing the job was commanding. In other words He was born for the job. Uganda will surely miss him

The post Uganda’s veteran journalist Bbale Francis succumbs to cancer first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) has finally bowed down to public requests and criticism and switched on most of the radio stations it had switched off on January 8^th this year over non payment of transmission bills amounting to three billion Uganda shillings.

The radios UBC switched off included BBC radio, Radio France International, Suubi FM, Buddu Radio, Voice of Africa, Greater Africa Radio, Bilal FM, and Italian Embassy Security Communication system.

Other communication houses UBC switched off also included Itel, Tangerine, Citizen TV, and infocom. Sources in UBC have told our reporters that most of the affected stations like TOP radio, radio Buddu among others were allowed to operate because they paid their electricity bills and others have entered into agreements with UBC.

Acting managing director of UBC, Paul Kihika says that UBC doesn’t have any problem with radio stations that meet all necessary requirements.

The post UBC finally switches on affected radio stations first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

While appearing before the parliamentary committee on presidential affairs, Okrut said the inspector general of government is investigating the required sum of money following the questioning of the money by the parliament accounts committee.

She told the committee that the money was arrived at after the feasibility and comparative study carried out by the Uganda Broadcasting cooperation.

She said the investigation should be expedited so that the process of getting the required finances is finalized.

UBC which was given a monopoly to supply signals to broadcasters after migrating from analogue to digital, requested for 74 million US dollars. The money is to be borrowed from Exim bank of China.

Karooro told the committee that if all the necessary facilitation for digital migration is availed, the government shall be in position to beat the 31st December 2012 deadline for digital migration which was set for the countries in the East African community.
By Mugisa Isaac Mathias

The post UBC’s 75 Million US dollars budget for digital migration questioned first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The committee chairperson Banarbas Tinkasimire said the minister along with her team were not prepared and therefore the committee could not waste time to listen to the minister who had no answers to their questions.

Karoro told the committee that she was not in position to answer the questions  raised by the MPs  and needed more time to  prepare a brief to the committee over the issues and later return on Tuesday.

She said MPs’ questions are broad and therefore she needs to first research and get answers.

The MPs want the minister to explain the land wrangles surrounding UBC and its competence to manage digital migration.

By Isaac Senabulya

The post Minister Karoro Okurut dismissed from Parliament over UBC first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Speaking in a workshop organized by Uganda Journalist Association (UJA) on media development, Mutabazi notes that the government contracted Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) to distribute digital signals to other telecasters but the government owned company has not yet done its work as anticipated.

Mutabazi however says that Uganda might be on time if no changes arise stopping the processes that have been set in motion.

He also states that they are soon starting compelling media house owners to start remitting finances to Uganda performers rights association as a proceed for using music produced by Ugandan artists.

Ultimate Media

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This follows admission by the government communications regulator that  Uganda Broadcasting Cooperation is not ready to deliver Uganda from analog to digital technology by the set deadline.

Uganda communication Commission’s Executive Director, Godfrey Mutabazi, Told the Parlaimentary committee on Information, Communications and Technology that although UBC was selected by Cabinet to be the sole digital provider in Uganda, the Corporation does not have money to fund the migration.

Mutabazi also said they can no longer issue analog broadcast licenses because of the migration deadline and that that UBC’s failure to beat the deadline is bound to leave Uganda in a technological black out as the rest of the world goes digital in 2015/ He said they are considering changing the current policy of UBC being the sole digital provider.

“Wwe cannot go ahead with digital planning because UBC has failed to provide the platform. In East Africa, Uganda is the only country lagging behind schedule,” Mutabazi said.

He asked Parliament to consider breaking the UBC monopoly created by cabinet so that interested parties can get rights to provide digital signals for the good of the industry.

“We should get another provider so that if UBC breaks down, the country can have an alternative provider. The problem started when Cabinet narrowed on only UBC and UBC now is not ready to beat the deadline. Digital migration is very complicated. You cannot just wake up and do it,” Mutabaazi said.

Last month, private broadcast operators opposed the idea of UBC being the sole digital provider saying that it is against the doctrines of a liberal economy.

In the same month, Ministry of finance stopped a $74m (about sh192b) contract between UBC and Huawei for the supply of digital migration equipment after Opposition Leader, Nandala Mafabi, complained that the contract was awarded without advertising.

Mutabazi said that if the issues are not solved, by either allowing private bidder or getting UBC money to buy the necessary equipment, we will not have TV in Uganda when the deadline passes.

The deadline for East African countries is 2012, while that of the world is 2015. This means that Uganda has 12 months to migrate. According to Mutabaazi, if we do not beat the regional deadline it means we cannot beat the world deadline.

By Isaac Senabulya

The post Uganda Broadcasting Corporation cannot deliver digital migration for television by deadline first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.