Uganda's media sector is under growing strain from repressive laws, political interference, and financial pressures that are stifling independent journalism and limiting access to information, a new report by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) has revealed.
The report, titled Vulnerable Media, Struggling Democracy, reviews media-related legal and political developments between 2019 and 2024.
It warns that increasing restrictions are narrowing the space for free expression and threatening democratic engagement in Uganda.
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"Uganda's media laws are being used more to control than to facilitate public information," the report states.
The report highlights several laws that have been used to silence journalists and media houses, including the Penal Code Act, the Computer Misuse Act (amended in 2022), the Uganda Communications Act, and the Press and Journalist Act.
ACME notes that vague provisions in these laws have enabled authorities to criminalise digital speech, censor content, and sanction critical reporting.
"Digital journalists and online commentators now face arrest and prosecution for so-called 'offensive communication' or 'false information,"' the report warns, adding that online space for critical expression is rapidly shrinking.
ACME also points to a centralised political system with limited oversight as a major threat to press freedom.
It says growing involvement of security agencies in non-security matters has enabled state actors to exert direct influence on media coverage.
Additionally, the report outlines how economic pressure especially financial reliance on government-linked advertising and regulatory threats has led to widespread self-censorship among media houses.
"Selective enforcement of tax laws and the threat of license suspension are used to pressure media outlets into avoiding content that may be seen as critical of government," the report notes.
The report also flags a sharp rise in defamation lawsuits filed by government officials against journalists.
ACME says several of these cases have resulted in large court-ordered damages, posing a serious threat to financially vulnerable outlets.
"There is a lack of clear legal standards on proportionality of damages and public interest defences. This allows powerful individuals to use the courts as tools to suppress journalism," the report warns.
The study places current legal and regulatory frameworks in historical context, pointing out that many laws being used to control the media stem from colonial-era legislation.
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These outdated laws, ACME argues, continue to shape a regulatory environment focused on control rather than openness.
It also identifies the use of informal directives and administrative orders rather than court rulings as a growing tactic used by regulators to restrict media operations, particularly during politically sensitive periods.
ACME concludes that the intersection of law, politics, and economics is steadily eroding Uganda's media freedom and weakening public participation in democratic processes.
"These pressures are reshaping how journalism is practiced. Editorial decisions and newsroom operations are increasingly shaped by fear of legal action, political backlash, or financial loss," the report says.
The organisation calls for urgent reforms to protect journalistic independence and promote a legal and political environment that supports free and open public discourse in Uganda.
