The move by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) rescind their decision to ban live broadcasts deemed “incentive” to the public has sparked a lot of mixed reactions from the opposition, public and the entire media fraternity.
According to Robert Ssempala the National Coordinator of the Human Rights Network for Journalist (HNRJ), says that the move depicts a lot of impunity and partisan decision citing that the organization only wants information that is pro government to get aired something that is unfair to the media and the public.
He adds that the media has an obligation to inform the public thereby the tendency of UCC coming up biased Bylaws gagging the media from practicing professionally must stop.
“UCC only wants information that is pro Museveni to get aired something that is unfair to the media and the public because age limit was a million times relevant than the Independence day celebrations.” he said.
Breaking from @UCC_Official and @NABUganda:Live Broadcasts to resume for media houses that have the ‘delayed feed equipment/technology’ 1/2 pic.twitter.com/uHqjzRxuu6
— Pamela Ankunda (@Pamankunda) October 5, 2017
On Thursday morning, UCC executive director, Godfrey Mutabazi was meeting the executive committee of National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and announced that the ban had been lifted without clear explanations.
Mr Kariisa had earlier written to Mutabazi calling for the meeting, which the latter accepted. In the same letter, Mr Kariisa persuaded the Commission to provide evidence of incitement by live broadcasts or consider rescinding their earlier directive on the same.
He however mentioned that the Commission has given NAB members three months to install pre-listening devices to ensure live footage is filtered before being relayed to the public.
The NAB and UCC are to set up a technical team to review the Memorandum of Understanding for broadcasting live events.
The decision by UCC comes three days to the 55th Independence Day celebrations. The national celebrations will be held in Bushenyi.
Glamour
