Members of Parliament representing opposition parties are proposing an amendment of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Act and other media laws in the country in order to safeguard the freedom of the fourth estate.
Currently, the UCC Act regulates the Communications Sector which includes; Telecommunications, Broadcasting, radio communication, postal communications, data communication and infrastructure.
Now, the Leader of the Opposition of Parliament Mathias Mpuuga and the Shadow Cabinet has kick-started a process of developing amendments to the Act and other media laws, which he says are draconian.
Mpuuga argues that the powers in Uganda Communications Commission -UCC are really not powers in a democracy and that they want to really unwind some of the draconian media laws so that the press can speak to the kind of democracy they want to build.
The LOP added that UCC is given a lot of powers that are in most cases misused against the media and therefore a need to unpack laws strangling media freedom. Hon. Mpuuga made the call following a series of visits to different media organizations across Kampala.
He added that the Opposition will make consultations with media practitioners as part of their approach and that the amendments they intend to table on the floor of parliament are going to be under a Private Member’s Bill.
LOP says that one of the Opposition members, preferably the Shadow Minister of Information Joyce Bagala will come up with the Bill after consultations being made with media houses for input.