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Uganda: Cabinet Plots Major Media Clampdown
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The Monitor (Kampala)
21 May 2008
Posted to the web 21 May 2008
Kampala
President Yoweri Museveni has summoned his Cabinet to a meeting aimed at devising ways of largely whipping the media "back" into a line favourable to the State.
The meeting, according to a Cabinet source, will be chaired by Mr Museveni, and will discuss a critical paper written by the Third deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and National Guidance, Alhajj Kirunda Kivejinja, on "how to handle the media."
Invitation letters seen by Daily Monitor, which were issued to the Cabinet on Monday with the main theme: "Government Media Management", show that the ministers will converge today (Wednesday) for what has been dubbed a "one day retreat" at Statistics House in Kampala.
The meeting is expected to come up with a collective Cabinet position that will contain stringent measures designed to regulate the print and broadcast media.
Discussing some of the specifics, the source said a proposal was contained in the minister's paper suggesting that; "Any broadcast presenter (radio/television) should have training in journalism as a requirement, as this is intended to curb excesses that have been going on in the media."
While the source insisted that "our meeting is intended to ensure we have a professional media in the country, that does not abuse its power," critics are sceptical about the government's intentions, given the number of reporters and editors recently arrested and charged over stories they have published.
According to the cabinet source, the ministers were given "strong instructions not to reveal" the meeting's agenda.
Kivejinja was cagey when called to comment, "If you don't know, it is my job to oversee the media," he said.
It turns out that the Statistics House meeting, now known in Cabinet circles as "Kivejinja's workshop", was reportedly initiated after complaints by the President that the media was enjoying too much freedom.
But critics will argue that the move is symbolic of a government afraid of what the truth may reveal, and one that is now incensed by the media's efforts in exposing its excesses.
A State House source privy to the meeting's agenda, but chose to remain anonymous, told Daily Monitor yesterday that Mr Museveni is apparently bitter with some of the news stories in the papers, describing the reportage as "irresponsible."
"Some media houses write rubbish and unresearched stories and to restore sanity, we need to call them to order," said the source, adding that the President was especially riled by a story, which appeared in the local tabloid, The Red Pepper, that his Kisozi Ranch had been burnt.
"As such, all the intelligence officers and those on the Presidential Guard Brigade shall be subjected to 24 hour surveillance so that they do not leak government secrets," added the source.
"Those found holding secret meetings with journalists shall be dealt with." However, a minister who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak for Cabinet, said the government was perplexed by the way stories on the controversial Land (Amendment) Bill 2007 were published and the "ill informed debates that followed thereafter."
"Some headlines were very inciting and land has been a very soft spot for inciting the people. Land issues have caused tribal wars. The media should be national and government has to devise means of managing the media," said the minister.
The source further said that the President has singled out the Red Pepper and Buganda's Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) radio, as the most errant media houses.
"Government will crack down on the Red Pepper and CBS. You have to be allies of the state and not enemies."
The source said a technical team had been put together to "lecture" the ministers on how to handle the media, how to respond to stories and how they should compose themselves for radio/television talk shows. The team is drawn from the Uganda Communications Commission and the Broadcasting Council.
The cabinet retreat on the media comes on the heels of grave concerns that the government is directly infringing on press freedom.
The December 2007 report by the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative says media freedom in Uganda is threatened by legal restrictions, economic, political pressures and poor working conditions for journalists.
It says there has been an increase in state interference. At least a dozen journalists are currently facing charges over stories the State deemed unfavourable.
Just one week before World Press Freedom Day which falls on May 3, security agents besieged the premises of The Independent magazine, arresting three journalists. Four Daily Monitor journalists are also on bail over a story exposing corruption.
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Reported by Mercy Nalugo, Emmanuel Gyezaho, Yasiin Mugerwa & Alex Nsubuga
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