Members of parliament have been directed to table a motion on media freedoms in the country, three weeks after the arrest and incarceration of Red Pepper publications.
The decision by speaker Rebecca Kadaga followed an emotional submission by Buhweju County Member of Parliament; Francis Mwijukye who rose on a matter of national importance accusing government of attempting to suffocate the media in the country.
"About a month ago, The Pepper Publication was raided, its editors and directors arrested, its affiliate titles and radio stations shut down. This attack cannot be seen as an isolated case. As we talk now, the editor of Daily Monitor Charles Bichachi is just out on bail as well as The New Vision editor Felix Osike," Mwijukye explained.
Police in November raided the Pepper Publications offices in Namanve, Mukono district, and picked up its directors including Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Patrick Mugumya, Johnson Musinguzi, Richard Tusiime and James Mujuni, and editors are Ben Byarabaha, Richard Kintu and Tumusiime Francis.
Police also confiscated mobile phones of employees and computers allegedly used to publish a story that rubbed the president, his brother Gen. Salim Saleh and security minister Gen. Tumukunde Henry the wrong way.
The 5 directors and 3 Editors were arraigned before the Buganda Road Court Chief magistrate, James Ereemye Mawanda on charges of offensive communication and disturbing the peace of President Yoweri Museveni, and the two generals. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and applied for bail in vain.
Daily Monitor's Executive Editor Charles Bichachi was charged with offensive communication and libel following a complaint by the Igara West MP, Raphael Magyezi about a story titled 'Age Limit Budget For 23-Man Team Leaks'.
The New Vision Investigations Editor, Felix Osike was also slapped with similar charges over a story titled 'Kayihura Security beefed Op' that ran in Saturday Vision on October 28th. He was also released on bond.
According to Mwijukye, such acts by the State are only aimed at suffocating the media in the country.
However, the Busia Municipality MP, Geoffrey Macho questioned whether it was proper for Parliament to discuss a matter that is before court. At this point, Kadaga directed Mwijukye to stick to the issues he had discussed with her earlier and leave out the court case.
Mwijukye explained to the house that the clamp down on Pepper Publications has rendered several Ugandans jobless therefore affecting their families. He also said the decision by police to confiscate the phones of all Red pepper employees violates their rights. He asked parliament to prevail on police to return the confiscated property and reopen the Pepper publications immediately.
The speaker then directed the legislators to come up with a formal motion and present it to parliament concern the media industry for discussion.
UCC has come under criticism for issuing threatening letters to the media in an attempt to gag them from discussing critical issues in the country.
