Makerere university asks information minister to intervene in having student’s radio opened

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences of Makerere University Prof. Josephine Ahikire has asked the minister of Information and National Guidance Judith Nabakooba to intervene and have the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) reinstate the university’s radio. 

Speaking today at the Department of Journalism and Communication organized annual Media Convention to mark the World Press Freedom Day, Ahikire said the best gift that Nabakooba herself a former student at the department could give to the University is to have its radio; Campus FM reinstated. 

The radio’s frequency 107 FM was sold to city Pastor Aloysius Bugingo and has since changed names to Salt FM. Since then, the university has tried but in vein to get another frequency which it hopes will go a long way in helping in the teaching of students. 

In reaction, Nabakooba who was the chief guest at the convention, pledged to follow up on the issue with UCC to ensure that the University gets back its frequency. Nabakooba said having a radio is not only beneficial for teaching purposes but also helps in the dissemination of government programs among the university community.

Meanwhile Nabakooba called upon the media to forgive government whenever there are excesses by some its security officials in the course of executing their duties. Nabakooba noted that government doesn’t have an agenda to harass or brutalize journalists because they play a big role in society. 

Lately journalists have been at the receiving end of security forces brutality. A number of them have suffered lifelong injuries while last week a member of the Local Defense Unit shot and killed journalist Robert Kagolo for unknown reasons. 

For his part Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the MP for Kira municipality and Opposition chief whip asked journalists to delink themselves from the subjects that they cover. He said sometimes it’s hard to see a difference between journalists and political activists. 

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URN