By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
REGIONAL
The Kanungu district based radio station 91.5 Kanungu FM Manager, Nelson Twinamatsiko is on the spot after a video of him assaulting a female employee leaked on social media.
In a viral video, the manager is seen standing, brawling and attempting to strangle the victim identified as Anitah Tumuramye alias Anitah Rose, a Receiptionist, Cashier and Show Host at the same station.
Voices of fellow workers are also heard from a distance pleading for sympathy from the manager not to ‘kill’ the employee but all in vain.
Anonymous source from the station revealed to this publication that the fight sparked off after the duo had misunderstandings of a Radio Gig that paid the station UGx12,000 (approximately $3).
It is alleged that the victim claimed and picked the commission which raised manager’s tempers to fight the worker demanding her to surrender the commission, but she resisted.
The source says that Rose was immediately suspended from her job following the fight.
“The manager claims that Rose does not qualify to work as a cashier, receptionist and radio host, he therefore suspended her and her programs,” sources said.
VANITY OF VANITIES! Minister Baryomunsi Radio Station Destroyed By Hailstorm
According to the source, Nelson has not been rubbing shoulders with some of the employees at the station including Anitah since his appointment as a manager.
Journalists in Western Uganda are facing difficulties in the work environment ranging from assault to peanut and delayed salary payments, firing threats and suspensions as well as employment of ‘quack’ journalists by some station managers and media proprietors.
Less than a fortnight ago, Parrots Media reported a story of former employees at 87.6 FM Crane Radio in Ishaka Bushenyi municipality accusing the station manager, Adellah Orishaba and the administrator Adam Semugabo of failing to remunerate their salary arrears and some were allegedly fired.
Also, journalists at 101. 3 Rubirizi FM went on a boycott strike twice after management failed to pay their salaries amounting to six (6) months.
“Radio Rubirizi under lock and key again as workers go on strike again after the 25th Jan deadline to clear their 6 months salary arrears elapses without a word from the proprietor Hon. Ntamuhira John Twesigye who personally made the pledge to remunerate workers during a crisis meeting a week ago,” read a social media post.
Crane Radio Ishaka Firing Journalists For Demanding Salaries
Crane Radio Ishaka Firing Journalists For Demanding Salaries
Worse still, many of these radios are owned by big government officials and high-profile businessmen who should ensure good working conditions for workers.
For instance, the Radio at which a female employee was assaulted by a station manager, 91.5 Kanungu FM is owned by the minister of ICT Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, 87.6 Crane FM – Entuuha is owned by businessman Al-hajji Hassan Badajjabala a whereas Rubirizi Radio is funded by Hon. John Ntamuhira, among other many media houses owned by strong government officials.
