The turmoil and breakdown at Vision Group burst to the public after the government agreed to bail out Vision Group from their struggles with Shs25bn from the National budget.
The government-owned station has faced several struggles with many insiders attributing the crising to some of the big honchos within the premises. The ongoing cruising started a few years ago as many changes have been seen, including laying off workers and dissolving some of their subsidiaries like Urban TV and others.
In February this year, a whistleblower petitioned President Museveni urging him to take immediate action to prevent its potential collapse.
In the petition, the insider highlights the alleged corruption, job insecurity among employees, mismanagement, and the increasing debts and losses faced by the firm located in the Industrial Area.
This publication understands that the main printing press for both New Vision and Bukedde paper has for several months been in limbo after it broke down and the publication management has to outsource printing services from outside the premises.
Group Chief Executive Officer, Don Wanyama was tight-lipped on the matter when this publication reached out to him for a comment this morning.
“I will talk to you later about that matter,” Mr Wanyama responded briefly before he hung up on his cellular phone.
“The company is struggling to pay employee salaries and meet other operation costs. Sadly, there is no effort to find a comprehensive financial solution or establish a better corporate culture to overcome the pitiable financial situation the company finds itself in now,” in part reads the petition to President Museveni.
According to the claims made in the letter, the company’s net income has consistently declined over the years due to alleged mismanagement, a decrease in sales, and rising operating expenses. Furthermore, the letter asserts that the current revenues have experienced a significant decline of approximately 50%, attributed to a decrease in circulation and advertising.
The letter also alleges that the company relies on loans from banks, as well as from the employees’ Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (SACCO), to fund its expenses and ensure timely payment of salaries.
“The company is dependent on loans to fund its expenditure. Lately, in addition to loans (in billions) from Stanbic Bank and elsewhere, it borrowed from the employees’ cooperative/SACCO to facilitate payment of salaries – particularly the huge ones of top indolent managers who are pocketing eight-digit remunerations,” reads in part.
According to the document, the company has also failed to distribute dividends to its shareholders.
Gross mismanagement
The letter additionally brings attention to allegations concerning the leadership structure at Vision Group.
It claims that despite Mr Wanyama holding the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, other top individuals have usurped the powers from him. The whistleblower argues that Kaija’s decisions have hurt the organization, making her a liability.
Furthermore, it is stated that even during the previous CEO’s tenure, Robert Kabushenga, these people were more influencial in crucial decisions to hire and fire employees selectively.
The letter highlights that at Vision Group, personal friends are considered untouchable, with some of them holding managerial positions due to their close relationship with her.
It further mentions the influential people’s proximity to the First Lady and a prominent pastor in Kampala, emphasizing that crossing her path is a serious mistake.
This has resulted in a fear-driven work environment at the once-powerful media company, hindering its productivity.
The whistleblower alleges that the influence and being part of the untouchable circle of the ‘deep state’, relies on rumours from their acquaintances to unjustly terminate dedicated employees without conducting proper investigations.
It is claimed that their decisions go unquestioned, and in most cases, the immediate supervisors of the terminated employees are unaware until it happens.
According to the petitioner, the ones running the show now fulfill their role as editors and manages staff remuneration and benefits, decides who receives what hires individuals at her discretion, terminates employees based on false accusations, and favours certain individuals for promotions, particularly those who provide her with gossip.
Although no specific individuals are mentioned, it is alleged that the company has lost numerous talented employees due to these actions.
The petitioner’s concerns shed light on the need for a thorough examination of the leadership structure and decision-making processes at Vision Group to ensure fairness, transparency, and the overall well-being of the organization.
Job insecurity/unfair contracts
The author proceeds to mention that nearly every employee at Vision Group is experiencing stress and concerns about job security, negatively impacting their morale.
The petitioner alleges that despite making minimal contributions to the company’s success, top managers receive substantial salaries, while many employees have their contracts terminated or shortened with humiliating pay reductions, without any clear or justifiable explanation.
Furthermore, the document highlights that these irrational decisions, disguised as cost-cutting measures, are being made by and the manipulated Human Resource team.
As a result, lower-level staff members, who are already overworked, are left with meagre compensation while some employees are even terminated without their immediate supervisors being aware.
Additionally, the document claims that employees are hesitant to contribute innovative ideas for the company’s advancement due to uncertainty about the security of their jobs beyond their contract period.
This lack of employee engagement is significantly impacting the company’s performance.
Moreover, the document reveals that the company, lacking progressive strategies to address the situation, has resorted to reducing the workforce and production volume. This includes discontinuing weekend dailies and introducing “Weekend Vision” and “Bukedde ku Wiikendi” as replacements.
“Little or no effort is made to generate new ideas that can expand the volume of production and increase sales. The unfortunate bit is that the underpaid staff members cannot come up with new ideas as they are always working under stress with no assurance of retaining their jobs tomorrow! No steps have been made to recruit innovative people or even bring back seasoned former employees, who probably resigned or were
fired under unclear circumstances,” the letter reads further.
Corruption in partnership deals
In order to enhance its revenue, Vision Group has established collaborations with various public and private entities, including Makerere University, Parliament, and other organizations.
This strategic approach is aimed at enabling the company to adapt to the challenging business environment and recover from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the petitioner alleges that these partnerships have evolved into a scheme to conceal corrupt practices within these organizations, particularly the government entities.
According to the petitioner, these deals severely compromise the journalists’ ability to expose corruption within these organizations.
Furthermore, it is claimed that only a select few managers benefit financially from these collaborations, while the rest of the company and the country are deprived of access to reliable information.
The petitioner calls for urgent attention to this matter, emphasizing that failure to address it promptly could lead to the demise of Vision Group.
“Your Excellency, I feel this matter should be sorted now and if nothing is done, soon Vision Group will be no more. I beg to stop here with the above few issues I have pointed out among others. Your revolutionary consideration of this letter will save Vision Group plus your ‘bazzukulu’ and the media sector in Uganda,” concludes the letter.
