As Uganda approaches another general election cycle, Next Media has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peace and national unity through the continuation of its #IChoosePeaceUG campaign, an initiative that has grown into a consistent national call for calm during politically sensitive periods.
The campaign, first executed during the 2016 and 2021 general elections, was deliberately rooted inside the organisation before reaching the public.
Staff were formally introduced to the campaign and its purpose during a Group-wide address by Next Media Group CEO Kin Kariisa at the company's End of Year Party, where he spoke to the responsibility that comes with influence and the role media professionals play in moments that shape a nation.
That internal moment marked the starting point of a deliberate effort to align staff around a shared civic objective. By explaining why peace messaging mattered, and why the company would take a clear stand on it, Next Media positioned its employees as the first custodians and ambassadors of the campaign's message.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
From that internal foundation, #IChoosePeaceUG has since been carried across the company's television, radio, and digital platforms, calling on Ugandans to reject violence and choose unity, calm, and coexistence during election periods that have historically tested the country's social fabric.
The campaign is anchored in simple, non-partisan messaging that reminds citizens that political competition must never come at the cost of lives, communities, or national stability. Through consistent placement across news, entertainment, and digital spaces, the initiative seeks to steady public discourse and reduce the risk of conflict driven by misinformation and heightened emotion.
Speaking on the campaign, Kariisa said peace advocacy must begin with belief inside the institution before it can carry weight outside.
"There comes a point where a media brand grows beyond broadcasting content and becomes a public instrument," Kariisa said.
"That responsibility has to be understood internally first. When our people believe in the message, it carries truth and consistency into the public space. #IChoosePeaceUG is our way of using influence responsibly to protect the country."
Kariisa added that the company does not approach peace messaging as a commercial activity, but as a civic duty tied to the broader role media plays in national development.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Elections should be a contest of ideas, not a trigger for fear or violence," he said. "If our platforms can help lower tensions and remind people that we share one country, then we have a duty to do so."
With staff now serving as visible ambassadors of the campaign, Next Media says #IChoosePeaceUG continues to attract wider participation from partners, creatives, and community leaders who share the goal of safeguarding peace during critical national moments.
The campaign will again be rolled out across Next Media's television stations, radio platforms, and digital channels ahead of the upcoming election, reinforcing the company's belief that media, when responsibly deployed, can contribute meaningfully to social stability and national cohesion.
