The Electoral Commission has released a set of rules for the media ahead of the February 18 polls and strongly urged journalists to abide by them. The code of conduct, developed by the electoral body together with the Media Council and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Uganda, was issued to journalists on Wednesday, eight days to the polling day. Speaking during the launch of the code, EC Chairman Badru…

Ugandan voters can now instantly find out where they will vote from and also verify their registration status using a mobile phone.The Short Message Service (SMS) launched by the Electoral Commission (EC) just 24 days to voting day, will cost between Shs120 and 220, depending on which service provider one uses. For MTN and UTL subscribers, the service will cost Shs120, Shs220 for Orange and Warid and Shs160 for Airtel customers.The service is however free…

The volume of media coverage of the 2011 presidential elections has improved in comparison to the 2006 polls, according to a new preliminary report analysing newspaper coverage.The report, which covers October to November 2010, was released by the Media Monitoring Network (MEMONET) in Kampala on December 14. MEMONET is a consortium of independent media organisations.The report analysed quantitative and qualitative aspects of coverage of various candidates and issues in newspapers such as The New Vision,…

Ahead of Uganda’s February 2011 general elections, the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) has launched a set of elections reporting guidelines that were developed in consultation with local media houses and journalists’ associations.The guidelines, which were produced with support from the Deepening Democracy Programme, aim to enable journalists to provide fair, accurate and comprehensive elections-related news and information to enable citizens make informed political decisions.Dr. Badru Kiggundu, chairman of the Electoral Commission, presided over…

The Media Council has ordered a new tabloid, Rolling Stone, to cease publication citing failure to comply with the law on registration of editors with the statutory regulator.The order comes after a coalition of Ugandan human rights organisations filed a complaint to the tabloid about the content of its October 02-09 issue, which published pictures of alleged homosexuals and also called for their hanging. A copy of the letter was sent to the Media Council.Media…

It has been a year since the Central Broadcasting Station radio was closed by the government.Re-opening the popular station, owned by the Buganda Kingdom, has remained a major topic at President Yoweri Museveni’s rallies in the countryside in the last two years.Is there a new silver lining in the station’s cloud?According to media reports, President Yoweri Museveni called a meeting of his cabinet ministers last week and said the station should be reopened. The Sunday…

No one remembers when the government last barred written matter, especially books, from entering the country. That is how rare these things happen, even in less-than-ideal free speech environments such as Uganda. And when they do, they create a buzz much more so in our wired and connected world.Online debate, especially on social networks such as Facebook, has been raging since news broke in the Sunday Monitor newspaper of the customs officials’ refusal to release…

The love-hate relationship between the police and the media in Uganda was the subject of a meeting between representatives of the two groups in Kampala this week.And from the look of things, a lot more needs to be done for the police and media to working amicably and serve the public.It was noted at a breakfast conversation on police –media relations hosted by the Uganda Media Development Foundation with support from Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS)…

A newly published report has highlighted the growing vice of brown envelope journalism across the world, showing how the act continues to stain journalism even in the most developed countries.The report, released by the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) examines the key issues surrounding corruption of journalists—including its effect on the credibility of news media.It also explores the factors that create media environments where journalists are willing to accept cash for news coverage.The report…

International freedom of expression groups have called on state authorities in Uganda to ensure that the media are able to operate freely, especially ahead of the 2011 general elections.Members of the joint partnership mission to Uganda on freedom of expression made the call on September 23 at the conclusion of a four-day mission to assess the media environment in the country.Releasing their findings to reporters in Kampala, the team noted that while Uganda’s constitution guarantees…

Efforts to improve media freedoms in Uganda in the midst of proposed harsh changes to the media law and physical attacks on journalists gathered pace this week with the arrival in Kampala of an international free speech delegation.“During the five-day visit, the International Task Force on Freedom of Expression in Uganda will meet with journalists, human rights defenders, government officials, and other civil society activists to convey their concerns regarding growing threats to freedom of…

At least two Ugandan journalists have been reported murdered in one week by unknown assailants, causing fear in the media fraternity.On 15 September, Mr Dickson Ssentongo, a news anchor with Prime Radio was waylaid by unidentified men at Nantabulirirwa village, Mukono district, who reportedly beat him to death.Ssentongo, 29, had worked as a Luganda news presenter for Prime Radio for two years and as a part-time court assessor for the Mukono High Court, reports say.…