Uganda’s Press Freedom Declines

From the News Desk; According to the Freedom of the Press 2010 report, press freedom in Uganda steadily declined by 10-points over the past five years.
Out of 196 countries surveyed in the world, Uganda stands at 110.
According to the report, Uganda’s ranking deteriorated due to laws like criminal libel, defamation, promotion of sectarianism, inciting of violence, anti-terrorism Act 2002 and national security provisions which impinge on the work of journalists.
In East African, Uganda is second to Tanzania (102) among the nations that provide a better working environment. Kenya at 121 is partly free, while Burundi (159) and Rwanda (178) are not free for media practice.
In sub-Saharan Africa, only Mali, Ghana, Mauritius, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe are rated free. Uganda at 15 is among the 19 countries with partly free media.
Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia are among the 24 countries that are ranked among those whose press is not free.
There are three broad rankings for press freedom; Free, Partly Free and Not Free. Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden lead the world. Libya, Burma, Turkmenistan and North Korea are the worst places for journalists to work in.
“Although the Constitution provides for the right to freedoms of expression and the press, several other laws negate these constitutional guarantees and the Government has increasingly cracked down on critical journalists and media houses,” a statement from the US-based Freedom House pointed out.
“Government support for media freedom and tolerance for critical or opposing viewpoints declined considerably, and official rhetoric against members of the press has increased,” the report explains.
So far this year, Uganda’s media has experienced mixed results. First, history was made when Timothy Kalyegira, became the first Ugandan editor and online publisher to be detained by police. He was arrested for his comments following the July 11th terrorist bombings in Kampala that killed nearly 80 people.
Another arrest was of Harrison Thembo, a WBS TV journalist, who was arrested by police at Bwera (Uganda-DR Congo boarder) for filming activities at the immigration offices. Thembo was arrested on 16th/08/2010 while filming the unusual and exasperating process Ugandans and non Ugandans go through while moving within or entering the country.
Kingdom FM reporter Rogers Matovu, was arrested and detained on the 19th/July/2010 and released without a charge. He was arrested by the Presidential Guard Brigade, while covering the African Union Summit which was taking place in Munyonyo Kampala. Circumstances that lead to his arrest are unclear.
The Special Forces, the elite brigade that guards President Museveni, maintains that journalists intending to cover the President’s 2011 election campaigns must fill out an accreditation form, which, in all honesty, is overly intrusive.
On the happy side though, the sedition law was scraped off the pages of the law, after a court challenge.
It’s a mixture of these events that contribute to the current position occupied by Uganda in the press freedom ranking.

Optic Fiber Internet not Fiber’ous

From the Keyboard The launch of optic fiber internet was supposed to be a dawn on fast e-connectivity. But, keeping the procurement malpractice aside, and even the quality of fibers, this initiative is seemingly a hoax.
Ever since its launch, the fiber connection has received a multitude of interruptions, greatly affecting the end user.
This very morning, there was interrupted internet connectivity, affecting a lot of transactions. Some internet service providers like the Orange network, sent multiple texts to the clients informing them that “the Kenyan fiber optic link has been cut off affecting the internet experience”.
With such continuous interruptions, vis-à-vis the initial cost of the fiber project added onto the costs incurred during that period of interruptions calls into question the visibility of the whole project.
As more people and services get onto the e-transaction format, it might require either the overhaul of the project, or a new way of getting the service.
Or, let’s keep to the satellite service.

Another Ugandan Journalist Killed

Three days after Joseph Kiggundu, a journalist who was working for Top Radio was killed by a mob of bodaboda cyclists in Rakai District; another journalist has been beaten to death by unknown assailants wielding metal bars in Mukono District, Uganda.
According to Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ – Uganda), Mr Dickson Ssentongo, a news anchor with Prime Radio was waylaid by unidentified men at Nantabulirirwa village who reportedly hit him at 5:00 am.
Mr Ssentongo is said to have been on his way to his working station on foot to catch a taxi on the main road.
“They dragged him about 100 meters away from the scene of crime where they left him lying unconscious in a pool of blood,” the statement from UHRJ says.
Mr Ssentongo died at Mulago Hospital where he had been rushed for treatment.
The 29-year-old journalist joined the Kireka based Seventh Day Adventist church owned radio two years ago as a Luganda news anchor.
This seems to be a resurgence of attacks of media practitioners since a similar case was last reported in 2004 when Ms Wilbroad Kasujja, a news anchor at a community radio in Buwama was raped and killed. No conclusive investigations have been made and produced.
Uganda Journalists Association(UJA) president Joshua Kyalimpa has urged all journalists in the country to dress in black this Friday (17th) to show solidarity in mourning of the killed colleagues.

Journalist Killed

A Ugandan journalist, Paul Kiggundu was killed by motorcycle riders, commonly known as Bodaboda.

Paul Kiggundu was killed in the southern town of Rakai, where he was a correspondent for Top Radio.

Despite his efforts to identify himself as a journalist, the incensed cyclists battered Kiggundu into comma, accusing him of spying for the Police.

Top Radio news editor Steven Busulwa Tuesday said Mr Kiggundu was attached to their regional office in Masaka and was on an assignment in Rakai.

“Mr Kiggundu was recording events of motorcyclists who were lynching a thief and they thought he was a detective. So they turned on him and hit him severely,” said Mr Busulwa is quoted by media reports.

Mr Kiggundu is the second media practitioner to be killed in about five years after Ms Wilbroad Kasujja, a news anchor at a community radio in Buwama, was raped and killed in 2004.

No Arrests

Days later, police is yet to arrest those involved in the incident.

Speaking to African Review, Rakai District Police Commander Alex Twebaze said three motorcyclists suspected to have been involved in the killing of Mr Kiggundu have been named.

“We have deployed our men on the ground to arrest those named, although they seem to have gone into hiding,” he said.

Kiggundu is survived by a wife and four children.

Kameme; Welcome to the most used means of transport for Kampala masses. Parked in the middle of the business district, these commuter containers are a necessary evil.
The zig-zag swings coupled with scratching halts of the drivers, ill motor-mouthed conductors and the ever bargaining touts make a trip along the potholed paths increase your insurance premium. Even those behind personalised wheels find them an irritating companions. They seem to be graduates from a different kind of driving school.
Make no mistake, these are no ordinary mortars.
Plans to have the taxi parks out of the business centre have always met stiff resistance, erstwhile with support from those that be.
At the times when the Kamunye's have been on strike, city travelers have hoofed with unbearable tales. The other resort, engine powered two wheelers called Boda Boda, are deemed a short cut to your life span.
Now, I need to go and book a my seat. Lest I forget, the password for disembarking is masaawo.

Pictures by Hillary

Picture by Hillary

This is a picture of a hydro power dam site along R. Nile. With in a few months, the power your using will be generated by this station.

Sedition Law Seduced

From the Studio. Lets ramble. The Ugandan Constitutional Court has scrapped the Sedition law from the pages of the Penal Code.
This was after two petitions that were filed by East African Media Institute and journalist Andrew Mwenda represented by Kenneth Kakuru and James Nangwala. The state was represented by Patricia Mutesi.
The deputy Chief Justice, Laetitia Kikonyongo and justices George Engwau, Constance Byamugisha, Steven Kavuma and Augustine Nshimye heard the petitions. The panel ananimously ruled that the law restricted the freedom of speech guaranteed by Uganda's constitution.
According to the Penal Code, sedition occurs when a person utters or publishes statements aimed at bringing hatred, contempt or disaffection against the President, the Government or the Judiciary. The penalty carried a maximum sentence of imprisonment for up to seven years.
Ten journalists, including Andrew Mwenda, and five politicians have cases pending under the law.
The case has been before the court for four years.
The judges, however, upheld the law on promoting sectarianism.