RUGUNDA TO REA BOSS: U’RE TOO LATE TO SAVE YOUR JOB

By Mulengera Reporterrs

In their resolve to leave no stone unturned, the supporters of Eng Geoffrey Turyahikayo’s right to retain his job as Executive Director Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have continued to try out every effort.

And their enthusiasm has seen them go as far as lobbying members of the natural resources committee of Parliament, State House, the NRM Secretariat and more recently the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda.

Photo montage of REA outgoing ED Geoffrey Turyahikayo (R) and MP Kefa Kiwanuka who unsuccessfully tried to use the committee to save him

The attempt to woo Parliament hit a dead end and flopped when Committee members wrote to the Speaker Kadaga disowning their Chairman Kefa Kiwanuka for writing a letter to the President imploring him to ensure Turyahikayo is retained at the Kamwokya-based agency which he has led for the last 16 years. As previously reported on this news website, aggrieved Committee members wrote to the Speaker demanding Kefa Kiwanuka’s ouster.

The latest attempt involved Turyahikayo’s diehard supporters rallying some MPs from Kigezi whom they used to reach out to Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda imploring him to use his clout to ensure their man stays on at REA.

Rugunda told them much as this was a juicy position that can be used to empower people from Kigezi (Turyahikayo hails from Kigezi too), the timing was inappropriate and there wasn’t much he could do. The Prime Minister told the lobbyists: “It’s without a doubt a good thing to reach out to the Prime Minister but you have done this rather very late.”

Renowned for being very cautious in all he does, Rugunda told the team that intervening into the processes at REA now could cause government problems “because this should have come before the Board has taken a decision on the matter otherwise any interference now can cause even government to be sued for unnecessarily into the recruitment process at REA.”

Sources say the pro-Turyahikayo lobbyists left the meeting emotionally very broken because they had high hopes Rugunda would use the leverage of his office to either direct the Board on what to do or to immediately bring the matter to the attention of the President. He was uncomfortable and didn’t take up any of these options, leaving team members gripped with more anxiety because with his contract expiring on Monday 8^th July, Turyahikayo is clearly now living on borrowed time as REA ED. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).