By Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi.
I was lucky to have been one of the eyewitnesses at a re- launch of a Parliamentary Forum on Media at a brief ceremony that was held at Fairway Hotel on Monday February 21st 2022.
Unfortunately, due to a busy schedule, and on a short notice, l came after the function had started and left immediately after it had been concluded.
However, the event was historical and colorful when the parliamentary media forum chaired by Mpigi District Woman MP Hon. Teddy Nambooze with Hon. Martin Muzaale was sworn in. It’s Treasurer is Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) President Mathias Rukundo.
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This forum did well in the 9th parliament between 2011 and 2016 but was not revived by the 10th Parliament between 2016 and 2021. So, relaunching it has been overdue.
The relaunch ceremony was done by Bugiri Municipality MP Haji Asumani Basalirwa, who represented Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Anita Among , who donated two million shillings for a start.
Basalirwa also promised, to use his office as Vice Chairperson of COSASE, to investigate on how Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) collects fees from broadcasting houses and how it utilizes them.
He also wondered whether the intentions of the framers of the UCC Act was to empower it to bar individuals and media houses with impunity.
He was responding to a statement by the UJA President Mathias Rukundo who said that many media houses claim that they can not afford to pay journalists a living wage because most of the revenue goes to pay UCC charges.
They also complain that it stops individuals and media houses from broadcasting at any time, with impunity.
Basaalirwa wondered whether journalists , like lawyers, don’t need to be licenced annually and regulated by the Media Council, the way lawyers are regulated by the Law Council.
He singled out former UJA President Joshua Kyalimoa who is for professional self regulation but emphasised that the law profession has progressed and changed with times due to regulations by the Law Council.
The key not address was done by a former Minister and former MP, Capt. Francis Babu, who is the proprietor of Metro Radio FM, on behalf of media owners, who challenged journalists to uplift standards including pursuing further education if they have already achieved the minimum standards of degree and diploma certificates that are required by law.
Former Uganda Muslim Supreme Council Public Relations Officer, Haji Nsereko Mutumba led the opening prayer and Capt. Babu and Blassio Zambaali Mukasa of NBS TV led the national anthem and Ekitiibwa kya Buganda at the closing.
At the closing ceremony, UJA President whispered to me that some parliamentarians are reluctant to join the forum.
My observation was the conspicuous absence of leaders of Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) although Church of Uganda Media Association (CHOMA) led by Zambaali, 7th Day Adventists Journalists Association led by Joshua Musaasizi Nsubuga of Radio CBS FM and Entertainment journalists’ association , were represented .
All along UJA, the mother media national body, leads in forming the parliamentary media forum , so it is not surprising. However, sister organisations like UPPA should partner with it, as among others, it is pursuing to have a fully fledged media center at parliament which Basalirwa and Nambooze promised to lobby for.
My appeal is for parliamentarians with a journalistic background to join the forum. Some include Betty Nambooze who was UJA Executive Committe member from 1996 to 1998, Moses Kabuusu, who was once South Buganda Journalists Association ( SOBUJA) President, Semuju Ibrahim Ng’anda, who is one of the owners of Uganda Observer, Eric Musana Linos Ngompek, and others.
The forum should cut the political divide so that it is not suspected to be another avenue for ruling party or opposition politics. The Fourth Estate should have a chance for reforms and the forum is the best avenue for that. Aluta continua.
Haji Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi is former President UJA and Deputy Resident City Commissioner Masaka City.
His contact 256-756/772-836537
Email: hajiahmedkateregga2016@gmail.com
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