The UK’s Independent is launching a new section on its website as part of a campaign to highlight the plight of journalists across the world. The move is also in support of World Press Freedom this Friday, 3 May. The section, Voices in Danger, will focus on cases of harassment, attacks and intimidation against journalists. “We want to use the Independent’s global reach and online audience of millions to put these often forgotten reporters on…

Revenue Watch is offering journalists in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda an opportunity to expand and deepen their knowledge of the extractive industries through a six-month training program on covering the oil, gas and mineral sectors.   Without informed and responsive media providing oversight of the revenues from these industries, governance weakens and corruption rises. Moreover, citizens lack the knowledge to hold their governments accountable and are denied the opportunity to benefit fully from their country's…

Uganda will develop a refinery to process 60,000 barrels of oil per day by 2020 contrary to recent media reports that it had settled for half that volume, a senior government official has said.   “A refinery of 60,000 barrels should be developed unconditionally,“ Mr Fred Kabagambe-Kaliisa, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, told senior journalists in Kampala on April 16.   The modular refinery the government is considering will,…

Mr Charles Odoobo Bichachi is back at the Daily Monitor newspaper as the Weekend Editions Managing Editor, nine years after he quit. He reported to work on Tuesday, 2 April 2013. “I was given an offer to come back and I took it up,” said Mr Bichachi, who has worked at Fountain Publishers for two stints lasting a combined six years. “I have been [engaged] in different aspects of the written word. I find that…

A correspondent for The Star daily newspaper was found dead Sunday morning in his house in the coastal city of Mombasa, local journalists told CPJ. A housemate found reporter Bernard Wesonga with blood on his nose and mouth at around 11:30 a.m., Star Deputy Editor Charles Kerich said.   Local journalists said Wesonga, 27, was with friends at a local pub in Mombasa Saturday night, leaving around 10 p.m. Wesonga had told friends he recently…

Erick Kabendera a freelance Tanzanian journalist and Haruna Kanaabi the executive secretary of Independent Media Council of Uganda shared their thoughts on the new press regulations in the UK in The Guardian publication. Last week, a deal was struck between the three main political parties on a new press regulation regime in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.   The new regulatory regime which advocates for statutory regulation will replace the current system, under which…

Rwandan president Paul Kagame has signed new press laws and a freedom of information act, intended to liberalise the media. Yet at the same time journalists are in prison for simply doing their jobs – holding the government to account. Two of these, Agnes Uwimana and Saidati Mukakibibi, were jailed for allegedly defaming Kagame and "endangering national security" after writing articles that criticised the government's agricultural policy, its handling of corrupt officials, and the justice…

President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that he is under pressure to ban local tabloids such as Red Pepper for exposing nudity. “We could have closed it but because of the pressure by western powers about the free press, we relaxed,” the president said.   Mr Museveni was responding to a delegation of American human rights activists who expressed concern about the publication of pictures of gay and lesbian Ugandans in some tabloids.   The Red…

CNN International and MultiChoice have launched the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2013 Awards.   Tony Maddox, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of CNN International, said the awards represent the very best in journalism from across the African continent. "I’m proud that they continue to grow in stature and prestige, and the 2013 competition promises to deliver another year of stellar African journalism,” he added.   Kenyans Tom Mboya and Evanson Nyaga, were awarded the…

A deal has been struck between the three main political parties on a new press regulation regime in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.   An independent regulator will be set up by royal charter with powers to impose million pound fines on UK publishers and demand upfront apologies from them.   Party leaders told MPs the charter would preserve press freedom and protect victims of press intrusion.   Many of the major newspapers said…

Kenya's press called Sunday for reconciliation between the winners and losers in the presidential election, but calm prevailed in the country the day after results were declared, in striking contrast to the aftermath of the 2007 polls. "The country is split right down the middle on tribal and economic lines," the Standard said in an editorial, calling on president-elect Uhuru Kenya to mend the divisions. The Sunday Nation said the conciliatory tone adopted by Kenyatta and his…

Kenyan media opt for self-censorship to keep voters calm President-elect applauds media First –runner up Raila Odinga says media ignored irregularities in the election   The hotly contested elections in Kenya have put the country’s media in the spotlight for their efforts to keep the peace among Kenyans during election process.   In 2007, Kenya descended into violence after the result of the election was contested leaving more than 1000 people dead. The media was…