By Joachim Twino
Whereas reliable sources maintained that she had a few days ago delivered her resignation letter to MD Winston Agaba, Jane Kasumba last night vehemently denied leaving UBC. In a whatsapp interview with this news website, Jane Kasumba who was in the USA as of that time, explained that much as she has been away for so long on leave that was granted by UBC management, the UBC brand is too dear to her she can’t just leave like that. “She has done a lot for UBC giving it her all but she is disappointed whenever she comes up with what she considers good ideas, there are people openly fighting her. This has made her frustrated and hence the decision to tender in her resignation,” sources said of Kasumba who many considered the face of UBC. And indeed she declined many offers to work for those TV channels that consider themselves better-paying than the national broadcaster. She was also down to earth and courteous towards whoever she comes across. The same source, whose narrative Kasumba confirmed later on in the subsequent whatsapp chat with us, said that trouble started in January this year when Kasumba was removed from being the TV manager and PRO for UBC and elevated to being Manager Corporate Affairs under which PR fell. Her responsibility was to lead a team to visit all government MDAs and secure new business contracts by assuring them that UBC was back with a bang. UBC has had serious image problems yet it has a lot of potential once its image is well polished-and all this responsibility had been put on Jane Kasujja, the very eloquent lawyer. “It seems she didn’t like the new position because since it was given to her, she never stepped in office. Whereas her salary was never cut, for 5 months Jane Kasumba never came to UBC offices and on coming to the conclusion she wasn’t going to manage this new role, she must have resorted to writing her resignation letter which Agaba dully received. She justified her departure on grounds she needed to attend to a sick relative in the states. Whereas the source insisted the letter does exist having looked at it himself, Jane Kasumba maintained she is still with UBC but couldn’t disclose how soon she would be returning to Kampala to work for the national broadcaster. In her new role, Jane Kasumba was earning a well-enhanced salary and was to basically rebuild old business/clientele relations to bring back the big deals to UBC. She has without break worked with UBC since the early 2000s when she was mentored by James Opoka and Patrick Luwandaga (RIP) in live sports commentary. A tearful workmate, who too confirmed Kasumba’s resignation, said he would for many years miss working a colleague whom he described “eloquent, qualitative and well-intention” on all matters concerning UBC.
