Shadow cabinet condemns govt advertisement ban in private media

The Shadow Minister for Information and Anti-corruption, Ms Joyce Bagala has criticised government for its move to channel all government advertising through the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) and Vision Group, saying the directive is a threat to the principles of a liberalised economy.

In the July 25 statement, Ms Bagala said the presidential directive is promoting monopoly against the national constitutional principles of liberalism, freedom of expression and fair competition.

“It should be noted that government is the biggest spender and that moving this economy requires both the private and public players. It should also be noted that UBC and indeed-New Vision as government entities are being subsidised by the taxpayer,” Ms Bagala said in a statement.

“Setting UBC aside without competition is essentially allowing laziness, mismanagement and inefficiency. If they cannot handle competition then they should be left to only receive subvention,” she added.

She further noted that whereas it is important to build the capacity of the public broadcaster, it is unconstitutional for the head of state to discriminate and suffocate private companies that have hugely invested their resources in the media industry.

The legislator also cautioned about the danger of such directives, citing the mismanagement, and slow progress of government infrastructural development since the President’s decree to offer all infrastructural construction contracts to Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF).

She said: “From our oversight tours with the Leader of the Opposition, we came face-to-face with stalled [infrastructural development] projects in different parts of the country notably, Mpigi, Butambala among others. Namboole stadium is also behind schedule.”

In the 2023/2024 budget execution circular, the secretary to the treasury, Mr Ramathan Ggoobi asked all accounting officers to follow the presidential directive on advertising, warning that those deviating from the directive will be sanctioned, including dismissal.

However, Ms Bagala noted that the threats of dismissal to non-compliant accounting officers in regard to this presidential directive is also illegal, unconstitutional and ‘uncalled for’.

“We are therefore here to support Private media players in their action to boycott government activities. We demand that the Ministry of Finance rescind this directive which came through the budget call circular,” she added.

Addressing the media in Kampala on July 25, the Minister for Information and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi urged the private media houses to reconsider the boycott as they wait for the outcomes of an ongoing negotiation between the Information Ministry and National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) as well as the August 10, scheduled meeting between NAB and the President.