The Uganda Telecom (UTL) saga takes a new twist every other week. It is no longer a bid to revamp the sinking telco but rather a war of who has the outright control on the company. We have seen and read numerous letters exchanged, mainly between the Minister of State for Privatisation and Investment, Evelyn Anite and a number of government officials, regarding the telecom’s audit.
However, the most recent development saw the minister cry out to the public on the emergence of a ‘mafia’ clique that she claims is after her over the efforts she has immersed in the processes going on at the national telecom company.
This was days after a whistleblower wrote to the Inspector General of Government asking her to look into the minister’s travels with the anonymous writer suggesting that Ms Anite travelled to Mauritius dubiously to conclude a deal to take over UTL.
We cannot be certain of who Minister Anite calls the mafia, but we have come up with a blurred picture you can paint up to connect any possible dots.
Is it the UTL Admin?
Ms Anite, in the press conference held to pronounce her fears, stated that the clique usually “holds meeting in Kampala club, in the URSB offices, and many other places”. One thing we are sure about is that the UTL Administrator is the head of URSB and he sits at the body’s offices.
Is Minister Anite suggesting something here? That is for you to answer.
Is it the people against the UTL audit?
Since the mid June, when the minister declared the need to have the telco audited, she has been at war with almost everyone that says a word against her wish.
While addressing the press yesterday, she stated that “The plan by the mafias is to take Anite out of the picture, I might die but history will judge them. You know the mafias, they are the ones who have been blocking the audit.”
Should we think that whoever was not happy with the request to have the company audited, or whoever has deeper interest in the company wants the minister off the grid?
Read About: Reasons why the UTL revamping is not likely to be
Could it be the bidders interested in the company?
Unverified reports point out the UTL saga to be a result of the bidding war that turned out sour after Teleology emerged winner.
The whistleblower who petitioned the IGG asking for investigations into an alleged secret booking to Mauritius by Ms Anite to meet investors who want to take over UTL is also something that comes into the picture. Actually Ms Anite denies having any relationship with the Mauritius Company and says the petition is the work of the mafias.
Early this year, government withdrew the offer from Teleology Holdings Ltd, which had been accepted in as the successful bidder after it failed to pay the agreed upon sum three months into the deal as had been agreed.
Is it assumable that the disgruntled bidders want a piece of the minister because of her choice of who should take over?
Is the minister haunting herself?
Some statements that the minister has been quoted to say implicit her and it could be the reason for the public brushing off the entire situation as ‘mere comedy’. She stated that the mafias “are tapping my phone, I hear their voices when I pick up my phone.”
Question is: Could the minister be haunting herself?
Who is the Mafia?
We also don’t know.
