Now,
it appears the government wants to go much further, at least judging by a leaked
copy of cabinet-approved principles for a bill amending the 1995 Press and
Journalist Act.
The
proposal would introduce new licensing conditions for newspapers, invigorate
the rather moribund Media Council,
and empower the council to punish media outlets. Especially disturbing is
section 5.1.8, which aims:
To amend the existing Act to create offences and penalties against media houses that publish material prejudicial to national security, stability, and unity, or utterances that are injurious to Uganda’s relations with her neighbors or friendly countries or utterance and publish materials that tantamount to [sic] economic sabotage. [Bold in the original]
In
an interview in January, Minister of Information and National Guidance
Kabakumba Masiko told me the bill aims to ensure that journalists are penalized
if they “are going to injure or give information that will cause instability
that will affect our economy.”
Fears
of “economic sabotage” by the media are nothing new in
Some
independent journalists scrutinizing the government and oil multinationals over
their Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) are already facing problems. Monitor reporter Richard Wanambwa said
he received death threats over a
January 3 article that cited a
leaked report on alleged oil deal irregularities. In February, a magistrate
dismissed a freedom
of information petition on oil deals that was filed by Monitor journalists
In
a country where much of the national budget comes from foreign aid, donor
criticism over Museveni’s handling of the media has put the state in a
difficult bind: How does it to maintain the illusion of a press that is wholly
free while ensuring that underlying regime and economic interests are secured? The
government’s stance appears to be one of freedom for the media in exchange for
their implicit collaboration. Minister Masiko echoed this sentiment in a Monitor article in January when commenting
on the government’s ongoing ban
of prominent broadcaster Central Broadcasting Services (CBS). She said, “As a
government, we are willing to forget and forgive if the CBS management is
cooperative.”
The
bill, in the context of the ongoing suspension of CBS, a ban on popular debate
programs, and prosecutions of journalists, has many concerned
that with election season about to begin in earnest, further clampdowns and
repressive measures will be taken. In an interview
with The Independent, Masiko
dismissed such concerns. “We are trying to streamline the operations of the
media,” she said.
Many
journalists fear the only thing the government wants to streamline is penalizing
the news media for loosely defined offenses.
Despite the ruling NRM’s party’s 24 years in power, attempts to
rid the country of corruption and patronage have proved largely unsuccessful.
The proposed amendments seem to be worryingly in line with Freedom
House’s 2009
assessment of
Ariel Rubin is a
freelance journalist who recently relocated to
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Excellent article Mr. Rubin. I hope that it is read widely. It is high time that international governments that have turned a blind eye to the repressive, oppressive, and corrupt NRM Regime in Uganda do their part in putting an end to the impunity with which the NRM under the leadership of President Museveni operates. This is a crucial year in the run-up to the elections in Uganda. The truth about this evil regime for which human lives means nothing must be exposed.
James,
Let me be the first to send you a comment. I thank you for this innitiative. The bill certainly has issues and we are doing our best to expose the real intentions behind it. It is going to be very difficult to express dissent through the press in Uganda meaning that the future of freedom in this country is doomed!
We met here in Uganda and you recall that what I told is likely to start unfolding soon.
In the meantime, I need information on how free is the US media! As you may be aware, the government is hiding under the Knational interest,' Knational security,' economic sabbotage' tags to gag the press! Is this same with the free world? Who defines these concepts and according to who?
Uganda must change; this is unbelievable. Governments should not take members of the press as enemies- we are partners in development.
The danger is, other African countries may take the leaf from Uganda and enact draconian laws. It is unacceptable in this era of democracy. It is unheard of.
This strange behaviour must stop. Now.
The move by the Ugandan government to impose restrictions on the countries media is aimed at closing the door to the possibility of public scrutiny of the exploitation and distribution of the country's newly found oil wealth; and any meaningful public debate in the run-up to the forthcoming general elections. In essence, it is laying the ground for undeterred looting and rigging.What a shame!