President Museveni blames CBS closure on ministers

The battle over the fate of the Central Broadcasting Services has taken a new twist with President Museveni reportedly blaming some of his hardliner ministers for keeping the radio off-air.

“Some cabinet ministers have been opposing the re-opening of CBS [but] I will handle that,” Mr Museveni is quoted to have told five employees of the closed radio during a secret meeting last week. The President did not name the ministers.

The government shut the pro-Buganda radio on September 10, accusing some of its presenters of breaching minimum broadcasting standards. The broadcasters also allegedly incited that month’s bloody riots sparked by a government refusal to let Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi visit his subjects in Kayunga District.

Mr Museveni and his courtiers have been unequivocal in demanding explicit apology from CBS, accused of discrediting the ruling NRM party and abusing its leaders.
Daily Monitor has learnt that Ms Amelia Kyambadde, the principal private secretary to the President, brokered the meeting.

“I cannot, for now, comment on the meeting,” she said when contacted. Those who got audience with Mr Museveni at State House Entebbe have been identified as Mr Godfrey Sseguya, Ms Jennifer Nassozi, Mr Tamale Kkonde, Mr Davis Kiragga and Mr Geoffrey Ndugga – all presenters.

Some officials at Mengo, the kingdom headquarters are, however, furious about the covert talks when substantial issues that have strained Buganda’s relations with the central government remain unresolved.

CBS Managing Director Kaaya Kavuma yesterday said no official on their part sanctioned the meeting and he knows “nothing about it”. “They neither represented the radio’s management nor its board,’ he said.