Hoima FM radios block Dr. Besigye
Jul 01, 2008
FORUM for Democratic Change president Dr. Kizza Besigye was at the weekend blocked from speaking on the three FM radio stations in Hoima during a visit to the district.
By Amlan Tumusiime
FORUM for Democratic Change president Dr. Kizza Besigye was at the weekend blocked from speaking on the three FM radio stations in Hoima during a visit to the district.
On Sunday, the opposition leader said he had travelled from West Nile and crossed to Bunyoro to talk to his supporters and thank them for “voting me in the 2006 elections.â€
“But I do not mind. I no longer need radio stations to tell people what they are already seeing. If the system is not changed, people will even die of poverty,†Besigye told supporters at the Boma grounds.
FDC supporters accused the 2nd deputy premier and public service minister, Henry Kajura and the resident district commissioner, Martha Asiimwe, of ordering the blockade.
But Kajura, who is also the district NRM chairman, denied the allegations.
“I don’t know anything. How can I block him? But the radio people have a right to allow or deny any customer air time,†he told The New Vision.
“The people of Hoima so much love and support President Museveni. They are happy that their road has been tarmacked,†Asiimwe explained.
She added that residents now had a lot of hope in the Government because of the recently discovered oil.
But Muhindi Araali, the Radio Hoima station chief, said the FDC owed them.
“Last time, we allowed Besigye on our radio and his coordinator here, Francis Atugonza, did not pay us. They have always branded our radio Movementist. We could not give him airtime.â€
The Spice FM station manager, Hamza Kitakule said all their airtime had been booked, while the Liberty FM manager declined to comment.
Besigye said Bunyoro should thank the opposition for pressuring government to tarmack the Busunju-Hoima-Kiboga road.
FORUM for Democratic Change president Dr. Kizza Besigye was at the weekend blocked from speaking on the three FM radio stations in Hoima during a visit to the district.
On Sunday, the opposition leader said he had travelled from West Nile and crossed to Bunyoro to talk to his supporters and thank them for “voting me in the 2006 elections.â€
“But I do not mind. I no longer need radio stations to tell people what they are already seeing. If the system is not changed, people will even die of poverty,†Besigye told supporters at the Boma grounds.
FDC supporters accused the 2nd deputy premier and public service minister, Henry Kajura and the resident district commissioner, Martha Asiimwe, of ordering the blockade.
But Kajura, who is also the district NRM chairman, denied the allegations.
“I don’t know anything. How can I block him? But the radio people have a right to allow or deny any customer air time,†he told The New Vision.
“The people of Hoima so much love and support President Museveni. They are happy that their road has been tarmacked,†Asiimwe explained.
She added that residents now had a lot of hope in the Government because of the recently discovered oil.
But Muhindi Araali, the Radio Hoima station chief, said the FDC owed them.
“Last time, we allowed Besigye on our radio and his coordinator here, Francis Atugonza, did not pay us. They have always branded our radio Movementist. We could not give him airtime.â€
The Spice FM station manager, Hamza Kitakule said all their airtime had been booked, while the Liberty FM manager declined to comment.
Besigye said Bunyoro should thank the opposition for pressuring government to tarmack the Busunju-Hoima-Kiboga road.