Kabagambe's sacking from TNT was innevitable, Bideri is a lesser evil

Kabagambe is the worst media predator, time could only be a right judge
The bad and great news (one's coin side)flooded Kigali streets this week and left many hearts broken or refilled with optimism (those who respect the journalism profession). The obvious reasons, are, the self anointed strong man, 'President Kagame's cousin'(misused the good name of the president) Ignatius Rweyemaho Kabagambe got sacked or sucked from one of Rwanda's highly rated media houses or the country's only daily, The New Times. Kabagambe who has just been replaced by the former Rwandan information agency (Orinfor), Joseph Bideri, received the axe after causing untold suffering and tormentions to many of the company's employees. With his ridiculous and unprofessional administrative decisions, his short regime has been characterized by numerous sackings of employees for no reasons or caused several resignations from some employees who could not afford to bear his tormentions. The guy since assuming office early this year has been on rampage, doing the sackings like no body's business. According to reliable sources, his sacking has been on for quite some time but he tactfully avoided it by hijacking and rushing many reforms his predecessor had left in pipeline. He always pleaded for more time to accomplish a certain A and B, bla bla. But as a final stroke that broke the camel's back, Kabagambe was supposed to go. And here, he allowed (did he read anyway)the publication of Kampala-Chogm advert with a story of how President Paul Kagame and the late Fred Rwigyema in one of Kampala's drinking joints (Gabiro), allegedly planned the 1994 RPF/RPA invention of the then Kigali blood thirsty govt. Not a bad idea though but as a top most editor (really??), he as usual underrated the double effect of the advert especially to the President who was in Kampala attending Chogm and wooing several investors to try their lack in Kigali while also campaigning for the former Belgian colony to join the English club. But poor Kabagambe by 'mistake' (said to have been upcountry in a retreat with his top guns) overlooked the piece and at the end portrayed the good and ever sober president as a 'drunkard'(am sure that was an oversight resulting from the ever lazy editor-in-chief at the helm of a critical institution like TNT). There are several allegations pointing to serious financial mismanagement of that company (call it salary and allowance bonanza). Mid-this month, the top managers for reasons best known by their hearts, decided to award themselves triple salaries. Unfortunately, the junior staff (reporters) non of them received any increment of his/her salary. Get it that these are beasts of burden as George Owel in his book of 'the animal farm) would rightly put it. Imagine for a company like TNT, had more than three consultants almost doing the same job. Inside sources state that this was Kabagambe's style of 'eating' the company money as he would be seen as very hardworking. But alas, that was not the case. There came in the issue of The Weekly Post that had since remained a ghost to his administrative life. For starters, when The Weekly post launched its ever first publication on June 4, Kabagambe purely surprised or startled by this piece of great work, froze to heal. As a resurrection from that part of the world, he came up with a deadly idea of showing a final exit to the new radiating and professional paper that the founders were Ugandans and working for the Ugandan govt (are spies) when he teamed up with a bunch of jealousy ‘top’ journalists to champion it’s sudden closure. Of course this a serious allegation one can ever make. Through their several maneuvers, they were believed and on June 6, the great paper was transported to the national museum for tourists to see (…not for its presence there). The Weekly Post was closed and no reason was ever given to date. But that’s the inside fact atleast known to the founders and Kabagambe and his school for scandal. Of course, the truth can never be killed forever and its now clear that the top authorities that ordered for the closure of the paper have realised the pure cowardice of their man. Remember the issue attracted international and national outrage and for wrong reasons, the country was classified a one of the worst media predators in the world (may be or may be not) at a crucial time when country is lobbying to join the Commonwealth. Kabagambe purely lied about the facts of The Weekly Post. The truth is, the founders are not foreigners and never received any foreign funding. The paper was built on mere passion and determination to penetrate the media market and to cause a landmark to the profession's history let alone a dream team that would not be easily assembled by a media investor. That was done and the rest is for God to decide where to place the evil minded characters.

But as was once stated by one African novelist, when the hunter finally turns into the hunted, then its prudent to call off the hunting game for its over. And at this time, considering the way things were going on in that company and looking at several miserable faces of the ever hardworking great women and men, the writings were on the wall and everything seemed to be falling apart and as day went by. Things were no longer at ease as Chinwa Acebe would suggest. Kabagambe's center of things could hold no more and many had rightly predicated, the right time docked at his station with clear willingness to show him exit. And now, one can rightly say that the man, who conspired with others to engineer the closure of what would now be Rwanda’s shinning light in the East African region for reasons best known to him but mainly to protect his then infant MDship, is either demoted or no more in the corridors of TNT. Of course with fear, cowardice ranging on his face, Rweyemaho (as the name would suggest), passed on senseless rumors in collaboration with his network of school for scandal of some fellow journalists in the country to say that the new paper was of spies. Also that they received funding from foreign and neighboring countries, a thing that was never true but was unprofessionally and wholesomely consumed by the Kigali intelligence system that never gives a chance for a second reasoning especially on matters related to the national security. The Weekly Post is now history or enjoying great life in the beautiful city of cemetery Ville. Some of the founders have been forced to flee their great country seeking refugee for their dear life. But some are here to stay even when it means final death for this is their country. The country's image that took the outmost gift of sacrifice from the liberators was in few seconds put at risk by silly mistakes of a man that aimed at putting his ego to satisfaction. But, as life goes, the truth can never be subdued and evil has never defeated the truth, not in the history of the universe. One especially those from The Weekly Post, can at last push-a-breath that the truth is finally disembarking and heading for a serious showdown with evil, the tormentor of innocent souls and hater of success and thinking. Hope, the public will at the end make its own judgment of who is actually the real enemy of the people.

For the great self-motivated employees at The New Times, hope is there to receive, for your tormentor has either been shown exit or his golden feathers reduced to normality. Good things and new life is right at your door-steps, gone are days of being called bullshits or useless women and men. No no, the writing is now in black and white at your notice board. Read right in excitement for its now true. For the new MD, i very much know is a man of experience and will for all reasons deliver. He has been at the helm of that organisation (that i think means a lot to the development agenda of this govt) since its inception and knows all the dynamics. Lets hope he has come to put things right and will not be pushed out as soonest. no, i believe he will not but has to expect anything when in that paper, for David Kabuye was a good administrator but suffered the trap and wrath of MD hungry and thirsty Kabagambe. For no one who doesn’t know the gymnastics of Rweyemaho man during those rush hours with one of the board members plotting against the best MD that Company has ever had. Please Mr Bideri my friend, Listen to the workers and think twice always to affect their morale. Bideri, for now, all our support are your bucket of roses, wishing you success at that company troubled by poor leadership, focus and in a financial deficient of millions. At least employee salaries (with some higher than their contribution) are over-bank-drafted every Month. Please sort that out, as at one point the company should be able to provide considerable revenues to the govt. So God help Bideri.