The human rights network for journalists Uganda, HRNJ-U has condemned a move by parliament to question Editors of four media houses over negative reporting on the members of parliament.
Robert Ssempala, the national coordinator HRNJ says the group is concerned by the conduct of parliament of Uganda resorting to the offence of ‘contempt of parliament’ and invoking ‘parliamentary privilege’ as weapons or threats to discourage constructive criticism from the media.
Ssempala explains that resorting to this regressive legal inheritance of the offence of contempt of Parliament and parliamentary privilege is a very deliberate and calculated attempt to stifle democratic enjoyment of constitutional liberties, but also ring-fence parliament from public scrutiny through media.
“The independence of media from the state control or government interference is fundamental in a democratic society that values freedom of expression and freedom of information. The role of the media in parliament is communicating parliamentary activities to citizens” he explains.
HRNJ wants parliament to respect the media as a legitimate of public opinion, public concerns and social problems and reactions to policies and programs, facilitate more coverage of parliament by opening the proceedings of select and other committees to the media, and appreciate that the media are also responsive to the people, serving as their watchdog in reporting the actions of parliaments and governments among others.
Editors of the Observer, Daily Monitor, Red Pepper and Ugandan Radio Network are today appearing before the committee of rules and procedure today.
Reporters are in trouble for reporting about the 68 million shillings to cover legislators’ burials, inflating the numbers of MPs who attended this year’s UNAA convention and the golden medal awards to Dr. Kiiza Besigye and his wife Winnie Byanyima by speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
