I take the opportunity to welcome back all believers from Christmas and thank God that it went well. For those that didn’t have it all good, prayers and hope for a better tomorrow should suffice.
Last Friday, December 22, H.E the President hosted an interactive session with journalists from various media houses at State House, Entebbe. The session was called to give a recap of the events of the year and for journalists to ask pertinent questions to the Big Man so as to maintain an informed edge as the year comes to a conclusion.
I thank the President for agreeing to meet with the journalists and freely receiving their questions without any censorship and answering them. He is the most media friendly leader. I also thank the journalists for attending the session and being orderly and disciplined. I commend my senior colleague, the Presidential Press Secretary, Mr. Sandor Walusimbi for ably moderating the session. Not forgetting the audience/general public for following through various platforms (TV, radio and online).
Questions touched on various subjects from Somalia’s accession to the East African Community (EAC), land evictions, corruption, illegal detentions, the state of roads and infrastructure, regional tariff barriers, the President’s plans for 2026, etc, and the President responded accordingly. In asking questions, journalists represent the mind of the general public; things that affect the everyday person and which everyone would like to hear the Head-Of-State address. It’s my hope that the journalists took time to research on the most salient issues to talk about such that we didn’t lose an opportunity to take professional stock of the year we are moving from.
The session was an opportunity to showcase the involvement of the fourth estate in the affairs of the country and President Museveni’s appreciation of their contribution to the transformation of society. It’s my take that press freedom in Uganda is at its best and I encourage all parties to protect this status and improve it. The press needs Government and a safe environment to operate in guaranteed by the Government while Government needs the press to link its functions with the general public.
Uganda ranks well on the press freedom scale, discounting the few occasions when practitioners breach their own ethics and the relevant laws, and when booked to answer for those breaches, then they get up in arms crying foul. But that’s because they are accustomed to Museveni’s Uganda where freedom of the press is guaranteed. For some, seeing what’s happening elsewhere and what used to happen in Uganda in the past, they want to experiment and see how much can be tolerated. However, I urge for caution, not to abuse the freedoms we have until we see them vanish.
In actual terms, journalists in Uganda enjoy immense liberties and the best is yet to come. On the whole, the media has benefitted from NRM’s policy of liberalisation and open society. That’s why at the State House session, I didn’t hear anyone cry foul that they have been squeezed for something they have not done.
The biggest threat to media freedom in Uganda is not the state as some may claim. It is journalists who disregard the cardinal ethics of the profession, the relevant laws and the circumstances of our existence and, thus, become a threat to society and themselves. Some journalists are not journalists in the true sense of the term because they become partisan, which erodes their credibility and moral authority to claim to be independent-minded and objective. Above all, some have betrayed truth in order to be “politically correct”.
Then they are those who have sworn to witchhunt Government, working through editorials and graphic illustrations to portray Government in negative light without ever acknowledging the good things done. Where there are challenges, they should always be given context so that the Bazzukulu know why certain things are the way they are.
A general challenge that has cropped up is the proliferation of media channels facilitated by internet spaces. With the advent of the digital age, almost anyone can start an online news channel and post anything and call it news. That’s how the phenomenon of “fake news” originated, causing a lot of damage and unease, while wasting a lot of valuable space and time that could be used to communicate inform that transforms. Let us agree to utilise media resources to enhance the image of our country while showing the people where the opportunities for prosperity and good living are.
Some media houses have done commendable work publishing information that is productive and which provides consultancy for those doing farming, business or offering services gossip and needed by the people, as opposed to talking divisive politics and exchange of unsettling information that makes Uganda look like a basket case or failed state.
Commendation goes to Vision Group for leading with a campaign of getting Ugandans to do calculative farming to increase production and profitability for prosperity. A strong middle class is emerging as a result of such constructive journalism. Continue profiling successful farmers and expand coverage such that even the people who were initially excluded from the cash economy and have now benefitted under the Parish Development Model (PDM) arrangement can learn how best to grow their enterprises and become rich.
PDM’s success hinges a lot on how the media talks about it. Negativity will hurt it while a positive outlook will quicken results. As journalists and media practitioners, let us decide and be part of the transformation story of Uganda and lift our country to Middle Income status. The other area of major interest; expose corruption!
Responsible journalism based on rigorously investigated reporting and fairness (reaching out to news subjects and hearing their side of the news) is a cornerstone of free press and that guarantee cannot be taken away. But the reverse is true! As we inch closer to 2026, there will be temptation to go for fiery political news and forget information that matters for the common person but let’s act nobly so as to achieve collective prosperity.
Happy New Year 2024, H.E the President and all Ugandans!
The author is the Deputy Presidential Press Secretary
Email: faruk.kirunda@statehouse.go.ug
0776980486/0783990861
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