Kampala, 19th/
March/2012; Ugandan journalists who cover parliamentary news have
blacklisted the members of parliament (MPs) who argued against the proposal to
allow the media cover debates in the house with their gadgets. The victim MPs
include; the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah of the ruling National Resistance
Movement (NRM), woman MP for Iganga District Olivia Kwagala Kabala (NRM) and Bukooli
North’ Bakka Mugabi (NRM).
During debate on the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure last
week, MPs voted to block the media from accessing the confines of the House
during plenary sessions with video and still cameras, as well as electronic
recorders. Usually, journalists deposit their mobile phones at the reception
before they access the Parliament chambers. The journalists are barred from the
chambers and not allowed to carry laptops, note-pads, recorders, still or video
cameras into the gallery from where they listen to the proceedings.
The matter was voted on and rejected in a chorus way.
The journalists under their umbrella body of Uganda
Parliamentary Press association (UPPA) had asked the Rules and Privileges
committee to allow the media to carry along their gadgets into the house to
capture MPs’ debates in order to avoid misquotation and possible defamation.
UPPA which comprises of over 90 members from different media
houses termed the MPs as enemies to the journalists and therefore needed to be
treated as such. They accuse Kwagala and Bakka of resisting the proposal, while
Oulanyah of exhibiting bias as he presided over the debate and shooting down an
argument that the media was free to access information by way of Access To
Information Act. He said that the said
law talks about only information in possession of Government.
The failed proposal was tabled by the chairman of the
parliamentary committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline Fox Odoi
(Independent), as the house revised the rules of procedure which guide
parliament businesses. He argued that
due to the technological advancement, an amendment be made to allow members of UPPA
to access the gallery with their gadgets to enable them report more accurately
and in a timely manner.
The house also voted to reject a proposal to allow the media
access the Appointments Committee which vets the presidential nominees which
would enable journalists to cover the vetting of process of this committee
which is chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga .
UPPA President, Agnes Nandutu told a press conference at
parliament that the association members had resolved to blacklist the MPs who
engineered the rejection of the media friendly proposal because they were the
enemies of the media freedom.
“It was very unfortunate that the proposal was blocked. This
is very unfortunate but we are going to consult legal minds, do more research
and appeal the decision. These MPs did a selfish action of deciding to go with
their gadgets in the house chambers and broke us from covering the proceedings without
gadgets inside the house chambers. We shall work on the two MPs accordingly” Nandutu
stressed.
In a bid to have the decision re-considered, the journalists
have done intensive lobbying with a cross-section of parliament, including;
meeting the chairman of the NRM parliamentary caucus David Bahati, NRM Chief
Whip Daudi Migereko, Fox Odoi, Oulanyah and the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga among
others.
UPPA Chief Whip Expedito Ssebayiga told Human Rights Network
for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) that enough mobilization has been made
ahead of parliamentary seating on Tuesday 20th/March/2012 to have
the proposal re-committed and considered more objectively.
“We have lobbied MPs and their respective leaders to
re-commit this particular provision on the media and grant our requests. We are
not asking anything from the ordinary, but just to enable us do our work
better.” He said.
“HRNJ-Uganda commends the UPPA leadership for taking a firm
stance on media freedom. Parliament conducts work on behalf of the voters to
whom it must remain accountable, and this can only be done by the media who the
eyes and ears of voters. We therefore call upon the MPs to reconsider the
proposal and pass it order to bring the parliament closer to the voters who can
only follow it through the media. The 9th Parliament should stand to
be counted in the promotion of the media freedom.” Observed the HRNJ-Uganda
Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.
HRNJ-Uganda urges parliament to vote on the matter by show
of hands so that it is clear as to who votes to block the media from freely
carrying out its duty.
For
More Information Contact;
Human
Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Kivebulaya
Road – Mengo Kampala Opp. St. Marcelino Pre. School
P.O.BOX.
71314 Clock Tower Kampala
Tel:
+256-414-272934 / +256-414-667627
E-mail:
news@hrnjuganda.org
humanrajournalists@yahoo.co.uk
Website:
www.hrnjuganda.org
BLOG:
http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com
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