Journalists reject licensing

Mr Haruna Kanabi, a media practitioner, during a dialogue between journalists and officials from Uganda Media Council in Arua Town on Tuesday. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELLO

ARUA- Media practitioners across the West Nile region have rejected a move by Uganda Media Council to have them registered and licensed.

During a dialogue between media practitioners and officials from Uganda Media Council in Arua Town on Tuesday, the media practitioners said registration and licensing of journalists would infringe on press freedom.

Mr Steven Candia, a Mega FM journalist, said: “We have fear that the State will at its discretion revoke the licences or de-register any journalist whom they deem not fit or has written certain stories against it, at will. This will infringe on our rights to work in a proper environment. So the registration may not be an ideal thing to do as of now.”
Some journalist said the government should instead ensure that there is a minimum wage for journalists and enact fair laws to govern the media.

A member of the media council, Mr Venis Omona, said: “We need regulations and professionalisation of the media to ensure public accountability. Registration and licensing will help to check on media to have responsible reporting.”

Petition
A petition to the Constitutional Court in 2014 by Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ-U), challenges the law on registration and licensing on the grounds that it “violates freedoms of speech, expression, the press and other media as contained in Article 29 of the Constitution, as well as other key provisions that provide for protection of fundamental human rights”.

HRNJ-U, the Centre for Public Interest Law and East African Media Institute officials are still battling to have the case at the Constitutional Court heard and ruling made.