Kampala,
14th, Jan, 2013; Human Rights Network for
Journalists –Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) is dismayed by government`s efforts to
criminalize free expression under the guise of enforcing the law against
incitement of violence and control of political and media indiscipline. We have
noticed several actions and statements made by government officials that are
intended to hold freedom of expression hostage. We have also noticed in the
early days of 2013 a steady orchestrated and systematic clamp down of critical
voices by state agencies.
HRNJ-Uganda notes that
having a divergent view from that of government and expressing it openly is
becoming risky, notwithstanding that government has a constitutional obligation
to respect, fulfill and protect the rights of all Ugandans who want to express
themselves irrespective of where they come from or which party they belong to.
This duty must be performed fully without discrimination.
Article 20 (2) of the
1995 Constitution states that the rights and freedoms of the individual and
groups enshrined in the Chapter IV of the Constitution shall be respected,
upheld and promoted by all organs and agencies of Government and by all
persons.
HRNJ-Uganda has also learnt
that journalists particularly those hosting political talk –shows and their
producers are under pressure from their supervisors not to give platform to
members of parliament and individuals with views divergent from government.
These actors are currently facing threats of closure or suspension of licenses
of their media houses by government. It is now becoming criminal to host or
provide a platform to those considered “anti, rebel or indiscipline”
politicians with divergent views. Similarly, it has become “unlawful” to
express your dissent view/ opinion in any form and to speak about matters of
governance.
For example; on 7th
January police arrested Arthur Larok, Country Director, Action Aid and Leonard
Okello an independent activist for distributing anti graft newsletters that had
catalogued cases of corruption since 2000.
Samuel Balaba Magala
of Heart FM was on Thursday 10th January was summoned and
interrogated by Mubende police for allegedly hosting Lwemiyaga County Member of
Parliament, Theodore Ssekikubo. Magala was interrogated for over two hours by
the head political crimes at Mubende Police station Juma Geoffrey on orders
from CID headquarters in Kibuli – Kampala.
The director Hits FM
in Fort Portal, Hon Nulu Byamukama has decided to suspend two talk shows
Orukurato and Ekitanganzo ” because that’s what the government wants. We are
not talking politics anymore.” Byamukama told HRNJ-Uganda early January. He
said he was first told to adjust the content of the talk shows and broadcast
government developmental projects instead of airing controversial political
issues.
On Thursday 10th, the
Buganda Kingdom Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) radio suspended hosting
critical members of Parliaments Betty Nambooze Bakirekke (Mukono North-DP) and
Nsereko Mohammed (Kampala Central –NRM) on a popular political show ‘Kkiriza
oba ggaana’ on the orders of the state. “I
received a call just two hours to the programme stopping me from attending the
show, they said that the situation was still tense in the country, so they
couldn’t host people like me. The pressure is mounting by the day on all free
media; I don’t know if any other media house would accept to host me.” Nambooze
told HRNJ-Uganda.
Both the ministers of
Information and that in charge of the presidency were quoted in the local media
issuing a stern warning against media houses considered errant that they face
closure. They warned that media houses that do not operate professionally would
have their licenses revoked. Mr. Frank Tumwebaze, the minister in-charge of the
Presidency, was quoted in a local newspaper saying that the government was out
to monitor and restore sanity within the media. “We are not seeing debate but
insults. The media should not be part-and-parcel of political fights. We are
trying to sanitize the media, not to curtail it,” Tumwebaze is quoted. While Ms
Mary Karooro Okurut, the Minister for Information, is quoted to have said that
government would revoke licenses of media houses that did not act within the
law, “….the media houses must act within the law, if they act outside it, their
licenses will be withdrawn.”
read more: http://www.hrnjuganda.org/HRNJ-Uganda%20Statement%20as%2014th,Jan,2013.pdf
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