13 September 2009

Kampala — The Radio One talk show host, Mr Kalundi Sserumaga, who was on Friday night grabbed by unidentified people, became the first journalist to fall victim as government continues to clamp down on the media amidst chaotic scenes in parts of the country.

The government yesterday also suspended two other media practitioners on allegations of inciting violence and demeaning the President.

Uganda Broadcasting Council (UBC) yesterday confirmed the suspension of Mr Sserumaga, who is still in police custody, on charges of media-related offences, WBS-TV talk show host, Mr Peter Kibazo, Radio Simba's local dramatist, who hosts Binsangawano morning show, Mr Charles James Senkubuge Siasa.

Mr Ssenkubuge told Sunday Monitor that: "They sent us a communication that we demeaned the President, but I don't know whether I have been suspended."

But Mr Kibazo confirmed his suspension on allegations that he fell short of minimum broadcasting standards during Friday's Talk Show on WBS-TV discussing Mengo-central government relations.

It was after this show that Mr Sserumaga was grabbed.

While the police and army both denied arresting Mr Sserumaga, the Deputy Director for Criminal Investigations in police, David Magara, told this newspaper yesterday; "He (Sserumaga) is in Kireka; he is going to be transferred to Central Police Station."

Police spokesperson, Ms Judith Nabakooba, said yesterday Mr Sserumaga had been taken to CPS pending investigations into what she described as "media-related offences".

"We shall inform you when we are through with the investigations. I cannot tell you the details of the charges as we have to get all the recordings of the case," she said.

Speaking to reporters at Uganda Journalists Association headquarters in Kampala yesterday, Mr Sserumaga's wife, Ms Sarah Nsigaye appealed for the release of her husband.

"He was arrested for no reason, he is a journalist doing his job and his arrest has affected the education of my children and the family members."

She added: "In 1976, Idi Amin got my grandfather and put him in the car boot and later killed him. Today it's my husband and I don't know what is going to happen."

Mr Sserumaga's arrest came after the government shut down four major FM radio stations allegedly due to their consistent breaching of the Electronic Media law, according to Information Minister Kabakumba Masiko.

Addressing a news conference at government's Media Centre in Kampala on Friday, Broadcasting Council chairman, Mr Godfrey Mutabazi, said the suspension of the radio stations was in light of current unrest in the country.

The government also announced a ban on Bimeeza programmes saying they are increasingly becoming difficult to manage due to the inability of radio stations to control content.

Explaining the current clamp down on the media, Ms Masiko said that the government decision was in line with the mandate entrusted to the Council to regulate media houses.

As the government comes down hard on media, at least a dozen journalists in the country are facing prosecution over stories that the State deems either seditious or defamatory.

Besides, the formation of a Cabinet sub-committee to propose a way of reining-in the media and the proposed Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Bill, 2008, commonly known as phone tapping bill, which is before Parliament for consideration are some of the plans the government is seeking to use to clamp down on independent media.

While President Museveni always emphasises the importance of free speech, he has at the same time consistently attacked the media for allegedly "misleading and misinforming" the public.

The President has repeatedly promised to tame the media, accusing particularly independent media of bias and sabotaging national development.

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