Don Wanyama
IN a move to strengthen his media team, President Museveni has appointed Don Wanyama to head his press team in State House.
Wanyama, a former managing editor for Daily Monitor has been serving as the special media assistant to the chairman of the National Resistance Movement.
He will hold the post of Senior Press Secretary, while, Ms Lindah Nabusaayi who has been serving as press secretary retains her title.
Analysts see this as a move by the President to restructure his media team which has often been looked at as weak especially in countering social media critism. The opposition had generally exploited this loop hole to advance their programmes on various online platforms.
Mid last year, there was information of a massive recruitment in the communication department of State house that saw some journalists being shopped.
Some old staff members who had served since 1970’s were voluntarily retired to allow a new breed of young journalists.
However, there have been reports of some journalists going back to their media houses sighting poor remuneration.
“I cannot work in State house unless some terms are improved. We I have been working, I am medically issued together with my 3 family members. How then can I get motivation to work when I am not medically issued here.What if I fall sick?How will I get help?,” said one journalist who preferred anonymity but earlier on the team.
Recruitment to State house is under the Ministry of Public Service apart from a few staff with a special structure.It remains to be seen if there will be improvements for staff given the new changes.
Indeed as the campaigns for the 2016 elections neared, former Presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi’s team proved to be very competent in this.Mbabazi whose moves are always unpredictable took to social media platform youtube to finally announce his highly guarded secret of taking on President Museveni. Mbabazi was later to emerge 3rd in the February polls.
In the wake of public outcry, Museveni is also seen to be strategically position the media to play a major role in informing the public on the various government programmes. He has also often criticized some government officials for not adequately senstising the public.
Museveni recently during the swearing in ceremony at Kololo grounds for his new term office (2016-2021), said it’s a new era for the NRM to work and not sleep.He said he will specifically address concerns he met on the campaign trail including job and wealth creation, as well as improving the government’s communication gaps.