The media should not be gagged

Sep 18, 2001

PEOPLE have pointed fingers at Ugandan journalists “for being unqualified, incompetent and unprofessional.”

By Denis Ocwich PEOPLE have pointed fingers at Ugandan journalists “for being unqualified, incompetent and unprofessional.” These accusations are premised on testimonies that we often misquote sources, get our facts wrong and spend a lot of time and space on petty things, ignoring important topics. The latest furore was raised recently in Parliament where some members reportedly considered laying down stringent rules of disciplining reporters who portray the august house “in the negative.” One of the honourables, Professor, Tarsis Kabwegyere was quoted as suggesting that every scribe who goes to cover Parliamentary proceedings must first produce his or her academic papers to prove that he or she is qualified to do the job. What a wacky and incredible proposal! Does Kabwegyere want only degree holders or professors to report on parliament? Its true that we have loopholes in the media. But the press should not be blanketly condemned. Rather, there are other factors to be analysed. Draconian media laws will not solve Uganda’s problems. We are now in the right direction of development and modernisation, which entails free flow of information and flexible communication. As noted by delegates at the recent Munyonyo SMART partnership dialogue, timely and unrestricted flow of information must be nurtured for an economy to thrive. One reason why journalists err in their information gathering and processing is that the civil/public servants are unwilling to release information. And yet Article 41(1) of the 1995 national Constitution stipulates that: “Every citizen has a right of access to information in the possession of the state or any other organ or agency of the state, except where the release of the information is likely to prejudice the security or sovereignty of the state or interfere with the right to privacy of any other person.” In any case, a key area in which the current government scoops more marks in terms of democracy, is the liberalisation of the media. For this, Uganda is now a point of reference all over Africa and elsewhere. Everyone, including those we have inadvertently upset, must be proud of the vibrancy of the Ugandan press, both in terms of exposing corruption and other vices by state organs and providing information which has enlightened our people. Admittedly, some (not all) are unqualified, and unprofessional. But more and more of them are attaining professional training right from diploma level to Doctorate of Philosophy. By enacting “The Press and Journalist Statute 1995” and “The Electronic Media Statute 1996” the government had formally recognised the profession as an independent wing of governance. The latest version of media regulation, The Media Bill 2001 is yet to be deliberated in Parliament. We hope the MPs, will not put in more draconian provisions in the bill. ends

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