UTL saga: Uganda Poor Youth give bickering parties one week to sort out mess

The Uganda Poor Youth Movement (UPYM) has given Uganda Telecom (UTL) current administrator and Ministry of Finance, one week ultimatum to stop bickering or face a peaceful demonstration from the poor youth.

This was revealed by the UPYM leadership during a Press Conference held at Makerere University on Wednesday

“The poor youth, comprising of over 250 members intend to carry out a peaceful demonstration and pitch camp at UTL offices, if this bickering between minister Evelyn Anite and the current UTL Administrator; Bemanya Twebaze does not stop”, said Zahid Sempala, UPYM spokesman.

Anite wants Bemanya sacked for reportedly mishandling the issues of the telecom firm by the Attorney General advised against the move leading to a standoff.

Sempala said UPYM is opposed to the idea of liquidating UTL because the company is a public asset that has been employing 12 per cent of Ugandan Youth, majority of who are now jobless, after UTL was rendered insolvent in April 2017, for failure to pay debts.

Wycliff Clinton, UPYM Publicity Secretary, said the Ministry of Finance and UTL administrator should work out a quick solution, in regard to the accountability of what he called, “Our dear company”.

“We call upon the court, since it’s the one that appointed the administrator to intervene and stop the liquidation of UTL, with the powers it has, according to section 207 (c) of the Insolvency Act”, he said.