The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
VIDEO: The media is supposed to enjoy their space while doing their work which is constitutionally provided for, however this has not been possible because of such hurdles. @PoliceUg #WorldPressFreedomDay #NBSUpdates pic.twitter.com/e4H0X62P7y
— NBS Television (@nbstv) May 3, 2018
Solomon Muyita, a communications officer with the judiciary says press freedom has been fluctuating depending on the political environment.
He says for the judiciary, they have tried to ensure that journalists get access to information. He says where journalists are denied information, they have used the access to information act to access certain information.
Dr Martin Aliker, who was the chairperson Uganda Aurgus News Paper however says compared to the early days, journalists today have a lot of freedom, as seen by their criticism of Government without any risks.
“Weather you like President Yoweri Museveni or not, you can criticize the government without risking your life. There is more freedom of the press in Uganda today than many places in the world. Whatever is happening now is not state sponsored,” Aliker said.
The Uganda Argus was a private English language newspaper which first came into print in 1955. In the 1960s, Aliker became its board chairperson until 1972 when Amin nationalised the paper and renamed it Voce of Uganda. Aliker ran into exile in Kenya shortly after and would only return in Uganda after the fall of Amin.
According to Aliker, Amin tried to kill him when the newspaper published stories.
Aliker also says looking at cases of journalists getting arrested or disappearing, all those are not state sponsored, but mostly mixed up with personality battles and business but not state sponsored like in the earlier regimes.
According to Aliker, some journalists were killed in the 90’s and some went missing, but you barely here of such today.
Uganda’s ranking in the Press Freedom index2018 produced by Reporters Beyond Borders (RSF) has dropped five places to 117 this year. According to the index, journalists in Uganda face acts of intimidation and violence mostly carried out by security services.
