Kampala,
24th/September/2012; the State’ broadcast
regulatory body Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) has banned radios from airing
of a new song by renowned local artiste Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, pending
investigations into claims that its critical of the Capital City Authority’s
Executive Director Jennifer Musisi.
The song ‘Tugambire ku
Jennifer’, translated to mean ‘please talk to Jennifer on our behalf’ was
released early this month by Ssentamu a.k.a Bobi Wine, the self-proclaimed
‘Ghetto president’. The translated chorus says ‘Tell Jennifer on our behalf to
reduce on her harshness because the town is ours’.
The song raises
Kampala’s problems ranging from increased murders, robberies to eviction of vendors
off Kampala streets. The song also allegedly points out that Jennifer’s
ruthlessness is worsening the lives of poor city dwellers.
Art. 29 1 (a) of the
Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995 states that everyone shall have the
right to freedom of speech and expression which shall include freedom of the
press and other media. Also, the
regional charters and international conventions the Ugandan government has
signed provide for this right and everyone shall have the right to freedom of
expression; such a right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in
writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of their
choice.
Although the Executive
Director, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Eng. Godfrey Mutabaazi could
not name a particular complainant, he told Human Rights Network for
Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) that they had received complaints from several
people about the intentions of the song. “Several people complained to the
commission that the song was abusive, so we can’t allow the airwaves to be used
to insult others. The song was not banned, but we have instructed airwaves not
to play the song until our investigations are complete, so that we can
pronounce ourselves on it. We got the song from our data bank, and we are
investigating it” said Mutabaazi.
Eng. Mutabazi however
could not tell how long the investigations would take before the commission can
pronounce itself on the song.
In 2009, the UCC
arbitrarily and excessively closed down five private radio stations and also
banned open air radio talk shows which were providing platforms to the citizens
to check those in power. All of them are back on air and the last one was
re-opened late 2010, but none of the media managers or journalists was taken to
court to answer for the alleged flouting of broadcasting regulations.
Bobi Wine told
HRNJ-Uganda that the song was not an attack on any person but his right to
freedom of expression as a stakeholder in the capital. He refuted claims that
it was directed at Jennifer Musisi. He warned UCC against being used to serve
individual interests. “Let me advise the Commission to remember that they are mandated
to serve all the people and not a person. Let it listen to what the people are
trying to communicate instead of intimidating their messenger. Listen to the
voice of the people and understand instead of misunderstanding, communicate,
don’t miss-communicate!”
Asked whether the airwaves
ban on the song was communicated to Bobi, Mutabaazi said that as a commission,
they only deal with broadcasters and not producers, so they did not need to do
so at the material time.
Bobi said he was set to
launch the song next month in October, although it was still not clear whether
Musisi would allow holding the music concert in the city. He however defended
his song saying, “Jennifer does not mean Jennifer Musisi the Executive Director
of KCCA.”
“The Commission should accord
the artiste a fair hearing since investigations are on-going and avoid misusing
its powers to curtail his right to freedom of expression” Said HRNJ-Uganda
National Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.
For
More Information Contact;
Human Rights Network for
Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Kivebulaya Road at 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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