Kampala — Your Excellency, I wish to address you on the issue of closing private commercial radio stations. You were quoted on radio West to have said that it is now government policy to close stations, which host Dr. Kiiza Besigye on their talk shows. You illustrated your point by equating such radio stations to Christian churches that allow witchdoctors to pray in them!

Radio stations in Uganda have become temples where citizens worship (read express) freedom, equality and solidarity. These three principles may not be Ugandan, but like anywhere in the world, we look through history and international cultures to find what works for us.

The policy of liberalization which gave birth to private commercial radio is itself not Ugandan. But still your government usually says that privatisation "is another achievement of the Movement government which must be consolidated."

Consider what these numerous stations have achieved.

Areas like Kabarole, where Radio Uganda signals were near impossible to pick, now have their own radio stations. In places like Mbale, the people who would wait to hear their language once a day for 15 minutes on Radio Uganda, now listen to their own children sing nursery rhymes as presenters send greetings and take phone calls in Lumasaaba.

Commercial private radio stations, they have also opened up access to information for a wider audience. The ability to receive and impart knowledge and information are not only fundamental human rights; they are important elements in social, economic and political development.

It is no longer the privileged few who have access to radio. These stations are both agents and mediators of social political change. Broadcasters have to constantly align the ideas of the political elite with the interests of the audience.

Radio Uganda, when it was dominant, was referred to as the station of those in power, telling their subjects what they (the leaders) wanted the masses to know. This one-way flow of communication is ineffective.

Ugandans always preferred, trusted and listened to other radio stations (including radio Katwe). Now different interest groups have alternative channels to express themselves.

Private stations of course are not perfect. Some of us share your frustrations on the quality of the information broadcast on these stations.

On closer examination of this latest government policy however, I find it hypocritical.

In 1993, when the first commercial stations hit the airwaves, there was little variety, some stations operated for almost a year without reading any news. When they did, the news was shallow that it passed as another joke on air. Government did not complain. It was rather the pressure of competition and demands from the audience that led to the current programming variety.

The reality is that competition, coupled with a sense of identity, drove some stations upcountry and imposed a wider mix of programmes. Should government wait until competition drives these stations into more serious programming, we ask?

Yes and No. Considering the cost implications, the stations may never do it. These are businesses like any other. The only difference is that in the execution of their business plans; they are guided by ethical standards of journalism, which emphasize public interest as the primary goal.

If someone was willing to sponsor serious programming, there is no reason private commercial stations wouldn't take it up. Already, government relays information by buying airtime on commercial radio.

Citizens' views are slowly being churned into a public opinion for the first time in our history. Despite their shortcomings, private commercial stations have given Ugandans a feeling of "political empowerment."

Communities have been mobilized to debate issues that concern them. Private commercial stations reflect and nourish the vibrant private sector.

As Your Excellency blames private commercial radios for sensationalism, you do not mention your own government radio.

On my recent research trip to Uganda, I had an opportunity to visit most private stations in Kampala as well as the old Radio Uganda, which I shall refer to as "public radio".

At the private stations, I found state of the art technology, young, energetic and intelligent staff. At Radio Uganda, I was greeted by the smell of decomposing wood, rusted metal, a leaking roof as well as dejected, unmotivated and complaining staff. The contrast was as clear!

It is difficult to imagine that a radio station with almost 50 years of experience has been relegated by private enterprises with less than 10 years of experience. Moreover, unlike other public radio stations in the world, Radio Uganda has no restriction on commercial advertising. The station does not have to pay taxes or registration fees. But more importantly, it owns the transmission masts on which most of the commercial stations hang their antennae at Naguru, Kampala and other locations in the country.

Its staff has constant and continuous training opportunities both at home and abroad.

Also note that no private station can set up operations in Uganda without the guidance of skilled technicians and engineers from Radio Uganda. Credit these engineers also for keeping some of the oldest (museum type) pieces of equipment working.

It has been relegated because it failed to play the role of "voice of information, education and entertainment".

We do not need to look very far for a fairly successful public broadcasting system in a country with a history close to our own. In Zimbabwe, despite initial problems between revolutionary broadcasters of ZANU PF and the former white minority governments' broadcasters, public radio and television have achieved better success.

Even after opening up the airwaves for private commercial stations two years ago, the country still has none. Both Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and Uganda Broadcasting Corporation were set up with the help of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in preparation for independence. Despite sweeping liberalization, sustained assault from both the government and the private sector, BBC, the world's oldest public broadcasting corporation continues to enjoy worldwide support.

Why then is Radio Uganda in such a sad state? Even its FM stations do not show up in the charts for listenership surveys. Radio Uganda has not yet re-invented itself in the new landscape where audiences are aware of their rights as consumers and less willing to be patronized.

I do not blame you for this state of affairs. There is a lot on your plate. Joseph Kony is still alive, a declining rate of economic growth, succession politics within the Movement, Rwanda and D.R Congo

But the president has his men, whose job is to develop policy. But rather than innovate, I hear the president's men in the communication sector spend their time "monitoring talk shows on private commercial stations to ensure they are not hosting exiled "Col. Kizza Besigye." Policy and other regulatory issues are treated as war.

You could choose to close those stations without ethnic or religious backing. But I understand that private commercial broadcasters in Uganda have a "kind of NATO alliance" where war on one is war against all." If this works the way it sounds, closing any station could provoke mass hatred of your government's methods.

The solution is not "to close some or all." Ugandans do not need to be kept away from political debate. Sensational news and views cannot carry peasants away. Part of the solution lies within the department of information in the president's office.

Let Radio Uganda be de-politicised. Borrow both from the BBC and Zimbabwe. A visionary board of trustees should be appointed from diverse political, academic and cultural backgrounds. They must be given authority to take objective decisions. They should also have nominees from the staff of the station itself.

The station's source of finance should be made more stable and less bureaucratic. Let it keep the monies coming from the renting of masts. Part of the taxes from private commercial stations should also be given to the public broadcasting station.

In return, it must be required to set standards in quality programming since the pressure of survival is off its shoulder. It can afford to broadcast to all regions of the country in all the major dialects. But remember the audience cannot be treated as masses anymore. The closer the station reflects their aspirations, the more loyalty it will get. After all, Christ never closed the temple; he whipped tomato sellers out, overturned moneychangers' tables and immediately started preaching.