By Martin M. Lwanga
Mr. David Njuneki had just returned from an upcountry trip when he received an early morning call from his direct boss, Ms Irene Nkata. She wanted to see him on an urgent matter. Mr. Njuneki wondered what it was. Had it to do with his work? But then he had not experienced any problems lately. His relationship with Ms Nkata was if anything running smoothly.
“David!” Ms Nkata greeted David in her usual comforting voice. “I have decided I will not renew my contract after it expires at the end of the month. I want to go and set up my own NGO. However, I want you to succeed me for I believe you are the best person around.”
David received the news with some anxiety. He was happy as the head of Hope Africa Micro- Finance Company (HAMFU), which had been set up by Hope Africa Outreach (HAO). Ms Nkata served as Country Director of HAO and was overseeing David as the Project Manager of HAMFU.
HAO was an international NGO headquartered in Australia running a $ 5 million dollar budget in Uganda. The organization specialized in taking care of HIV orphaned children and had care homes in ten districts. In Uganda it was managed by a local board, which served in an advisory capacity. The international board based in Australia had overall authority and could override any decision the local board made.
David Njuneki’s background
David Njuneki had been born and raised in the hills of Ntungamo in a polygamous family of 17 children. His father was an alcoholic and hardly took interest in the welfare of his children from his many wives. Being born in such a family he learnt to fend for himself at an early age. Lack of enough school- fees interrupted his educational career. But by doing small odd jobs starting at an early age, such as tending the gardens of Catholic missionaries, he was able to pay himself up to University. He graduated in 1987 having gone through the University mature entrance scheme with a degree in social work and administration.
He then worked for a number of NGOs until Ms Nkata, a friend of his wife, Grace, from Kampala Baptist Church where she attended church, asked him to join HAO and set up the HAMFU.
Ever eager for challenge, and starting right from scratch, David set up the microfinance company. Within 5 years it had garnered a portfolio of 10,000 clients with a record repayment of 98% and a loyal staff of over 50 field officers.
Based on this accomplishments David had no doubt that he would easily succeed as the new country director. He had just finished his Postgraduate diploma in project management at Uganda Management Institute and had registered for the Masters in Management degree. His record was well known and he didn’t see why anyone at HAO would not want him as the natural successor of Ms Nkata.
However, soon after Ms Nkata made her decision known the international board decided against the advice of the local board and chose to advertise the vacant position in the local and international press. Though not very happy with this development David accepted it as a transparent process and submitted in his application alongside a ton of others. As expected he was short listed with five other outside candidates.
David is passed for an interview.
On 25th November David was invited to sit for the interviews. Although he knew most of the interviewers who were generally supportive the representative from the international board, Mr. Brian Fischer, took issues with him asking a set of double- barrel questions like, “Why aren’t you satisfied with carrying on at HAMFU? Is everything okay there?” David explained calmly that he felt he could serve the organization better at the top. “I think your work there is incomplete,” quipped Brian as the local Africa counter parts on the board sat back in silence.
Eventually, on the recommendation of Brian, the position went to what emerged as the second best candidate, Ms. Judith Ojambo. “We must not let David leave many unaccomplished tasks at HAMFU,” Brian advised. “Let us get in new blood at the top.”
As new country director, Ms Ojambo, immediately decided to institute her own style of management. She demanded weekly reports from all the staff including the project manager of their daily activities. She cut down on their privileges too. For example, she made it a policy that all company vehicles had to be parked at the headquarters over night and the privilege of staying with company vehicles at home was abolished.
Soon she started complaining that David was not delivering as expected. She put her concerns in writing copying the Memo to Mr Brian Fischer in Australia. David, who could not imagine failing at anything, begun to stay late at night at the office so as to finish the endless reports demanded by Ms Ojambo. Normally the read: “I want this now!” Because of this he put his Masters Degree programme on hold. He was not happy since he had paid Shs 3 million to enroll in the programme.
Domestic challenges
In early January David’s mother was brought from Ntungamo where she had suffered a stroke. She was admitted to Nsambya hospital and his wife, Grace, took to staying over at the hospital. Grace had just quit her job as a teacher to run a poultry business where they had put most of their savings. Largely, as a result of this new situation, the business begun to suffer for lack of attention. They had taken a loan to raise some of the structures and the couple begun falling back on payments.
One day, and without notice, Brian turned up at the office where he called David for an impromptu meeting. “David,” an excited Brian begun, as he was watched over by the country director. “Our investigations reveal that you have not been honest in reporting to us the true figures of how HAMFU is doing. The repayment rate is 75% and hardly anywhere near 98%”
“What!” David blew up. “Where do you get these reports from? Are you more qualified than I to know how Micro- Finance runs in Africa? I am sorry I cannot take seriously your statements.”
The meeting came to an abrupt end. A couple of days later David received a letter from the head office in Australia. “Recent slide in your standards at work and un becoming behaviour in management meetings has raised serious concerns over your future contribution to HAO. Please, take this as the last written warning on this issue.”
A visit to the clinic.
Early in February 2005, David’s mother passed away, never having fully recovered from her stroke. David felt very bad as he had been very close to his mother. They had had to remove her from Nsambya hospital and taken her back to Ntugamo due to high medical bills that had left the family in a big debt. Meanwhile, the poultry business had failed to take off and the only way was to refinance their loan, which meant making the couple even more indebted. Besides, because Grace had quit her job the family was relying on only his income.
For the first time in his life, as far as he could remember, David started losing sleep at night. Many times he would wake up in the middle of the night shivering with sweat and stay wild awake. He started an old habit of drinking three Guiness beers at a local joint frequented by guys from his home district. His wife, Grace, a born – again Christian, aghast at this development, was not pleased. “You need to get saved,” she cried at him.
“Stop preaching at me,” David yelled. “You got me in debt with that bogus poultry business of yours.”
“But you spend all the little money we earn drinking yet I helped you get a good job!”
“What are you talking about when you spend all the money on rich pastors?” The fights became frequent.
While driving home one day, David, decided to stop at Case Medical Clinic where he asked for a thorough medical check up. At the end of the test the medical doctor gave David a sober report of his status.
“I am afraid you have high blood pressure and emerging indications of diabetes.”
Group Discussion Question
- Identify the causes of stress in Mr. David Njuneki’s life
- How would you advise Mr. David Njuneki to manage stress in his life?
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