Scribes Want NAJU Off Media Bill

By Charles Ariko JOURNALISTS on Thursday recommended that the National Association of Journalists of Uganda (NAJU) be scrapped from the proposed Media Bill 2001 and instead have its functions transferred to the Media Council. NAJU had been proposed to replace the National Institute of Journalists of Uganda established by the Press and Journalists Statute 1995. journalists also recommended that the Media Council be a non-statutory body independent from the government. In the proposals, participants said the Media Council be given more powers to convene an annual general assembly composed of enrolled journalists. The proposals in the Media Bill 2001 are seeking to amend the Press and Journalists Statute 1995 and the Electronic Media Statute 1996. The journalists also want sections of the Penal Code, especially those relating to sedition and libel to be repealed. The recommendations were made by participants who attended a one-day workshop at Hotel Africana in Kampala. The workshop was organised by the East African Media Institute in conjunction with the Uganda Law Reform Commission. other recommendations were the issuing of the national press cards and a diploma in journalism as a minimum requirement for one to become a journalist. Basoga Nsadhu, the information minister, said the Government was in the process of formulating an information and communication policy. Ends