Col. Bantariza vacates Media Centre office

By Cecilia Okoth

Col. Shaban Bantariza has quit following the president’s decision rescinding his appointment as deputy executive director of the Media Centre.

Ofwono Opondo, the executive director of the Media Centre, also appointed with Bantariza on the same date, confirmed his departure yesterday. “I handed him copies of the president, permanent secretary and Ministry of Defence letters,” he said.

Opondo, who is also the Government’s spokesperson, said his position remains vacant. “We will make internal adjustments as we wait for the president to appoint someone else,” he said.

Explaining why it had taken long for the President to act, Opondo said upon receiving a letter from the President seeking clearance on Bantariza for appointment, Katumba Wamala, the Chief of Defence Forces, notified the president that he (Bantariza) had a case to answer.

Wamala then sent a note to the president’s office on June 16 to which the president responded four days later on June 20, revoking the appointment.

The delay in communication caused the Ministry of Defence on July 18 to task the secretary in the office of the president to explain Bantariza’s continued illegal occupation of the office. Bantariza faces criminal charges in connection with misusing equipment from the National Leadership Institute Kyankwanzi, where he served as director between 2007 and 2009.