Kampala — The Radio One talk show host, Mr Kalundi Sserumaga, who was on Friday night grabbed by unidentified people, became the first journalist to fall victim as government continues to clamp down on the media amidst chaotic scenes in parts of the country.
The government yesterday also suspended two other media practitioners on allegations of inciting violence and demeaning the President.
Uganda Broadcasting Council (UBC) yesterday confirmed the suspension of Mr Sserumaga, who is still in police custody, on charges of media-related offences, WBS-TV talk show host, Mr Peter Kibazo, Radio Simba's local dramatist, who hosts Binsangawano morning show, Mr Charles James Senkubuge Siasa.
Mr Ssenkubuge told Sunday Monitor that: "They sent us a communication that we demeaned the President, but I don't know whether I have been suspended."
But Mr Kibazo confirmed his suspension on allegations that he fell short of minimum broadcasting standards during Friday's Talk Show on WBS-TV discussing Mengo-central government relations.
It was after this show that Mr Sserumaga was grabbed.
While the police and army both denied arresting Mr Sserumaga, the Deputy Director for Criminal Investigations in police, David Magara, told this newspaper yesterday; "He (Sserumaga) is in Kireka; he is going to be transferred to Central Police Station."
Police spokesperson, Ms Judith Nabakooba, said yesterday Mr Sserumaga had been taken to CPS pending investigations into what she described as "media-related offences".
"We shall inform you when we are through with the investigations. I cannot tell you the details of the charges as we have to get all the recordings of the case," she said.
Speaking to reporters at Uganda Journalists Association headquarters in Kampala yesterday, Mr Sserumaga's wife, Ms Sarah Nsigaye appealed for the release of her husband.
"He was arrested for no reason, he is a journalist doing his job and his arrest has affected the education of my children and the family members."
She added: "In 1976, Idi Amin got my grandfather and put him in the car boot and later killed him. Today it's my husband and I don't know what is going to happen."
Mr Sserumaga's arrest came after the government shut down four major FM radio stations allegedly due to their consistent breaching of the Electronic Media law, according to Information Minister Kabakumba Masiko.
Addressing a news conference at government's Media Centre in Kampala on Friday, Broadcasting Council chairman, Mr Godfrey Mutabazi, said the suspension of the radio stations was in light of current unrest in the country.
The government also announced a ban on Bimeeza programmes saying they are increasingly becoming difficult to manage due to the inability of radio stations to control content.
Explaining the current clamp down on the media, Ms Masiko said that the government decision was in line with the mandate entrusted to the Council to regulate media houses.
As the government comes down hard on media, at least a dozen journalists in the country are facing prosecution over stories that the State deems either seditious or defamatory.
Besides, the formation of a Cabinet sub-committee to propose a way of reining-in the media and the proposed Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Bill, 2008, commonly known as phone tapping bill, which is before Parliament for consideration are some of the plans the government is seeking to use to clamp down on independent media.
While President Museveni always emphasises the importance of free speech, he has at the same time consistently attacked the media for allegedly "misleading and misinforming" the public.
The President has repeatedly promised to tame the media, accusing particularly independent media of bias and sabotaging national development.
Additional reporting by Isaac Imaka
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Whereas we are all concerned about what is going on in Uganda it is imperative that we put the issue at hand in its proper perspective. We should concern about ourselves about the apparent effect that can be caused by an irresponsible and sentimental press. Freedom of press does not mean to go over board and incite people to riot, set tribes against each other or sow seeds of hatred. It is apparent that We have all emerged as losers in this fiasco and we must learn lessons from the Rwandan genocide which thrived on a hate campaign . The media fraternity in Uganda must also know that there is national security at stake and that when riots engulf the city, government as well as individuals lose business and revenue and the ultimate person to pay the price is the tax payer.
Uganda cannot rewind the clock and go back to the times when kings or tribal chiefs called the shots in the political affairs of their kingdoms or chieftancies.
Let us borrow a leaf from countries like the USA where it does not matter where you come from but what you can do for the country and yourself. The ealier tribal leaders and those advocating for them as well as their apologists in uganda realise that we are a democracy run on republican principles and ideology Finally the media in uganda should strive to be balance and objective in its reporting so as to d to be seen as partisan or taking sides. The writer is the Editor of Tarehe Sita Magazine(UPDF)