Is The Future Of Freedom Of The Press In Jeopardy In Uganda Again?

Is The Future of Freedom of the Press in Jeopardy in Uganda Again?

By Oweyegha-Afunaduula

Reports indicate that President Tibuhaburwa Museveni has personally intervened to shut down a popular radio station in Jinja, Busoga One, without utilizing the usual channels of authority. If this information is accurate, it signals a troubling development for press freedom in Uganda, both now and in the future.

Such direct action suggests that the President seeks to exert complete control over the media—often referred to as the Fourth Estate. If the closure of Busoga One is politically motivated, it marks a worrying trend for Uganda’s future. The ethical and moral justification for this action seems secondary to political objectives. If this becomes the norm, the future of free expression in Uganda is under threat.

A society where institutions, whether public or private, must align strictly with the President’s perspective is one that risks becoming closed, sterile, and stagnant. History has shown that this is not the first time media outlets have been shut down in Uganda for political reasons. In the past, both The Monitor Radio and The Monitor newspaper were closed, with their premises militarily occupied for nearly two weeks, and some of their employees were imprisoned.

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CBS FM a media radio station owned by the Kabaka to serve his Kingdom was, in 2009 closed for over a year and even after reopening it, its licence was withheld until recently when it was returned! In this same clamp down on the freedom of press, Radio One owned by a former finance minister in Museveni government Maria Kiwanuka and Simba radion owned by Agha Ssekalala were in the same year closed for some months.

The closure of these outlets raises questions about whether media owners, like Wafula Ogutu, had to conform to government expectations or chose to sell their enterprises, as Ogutu eventually did to the Aga Khan. Ogutu, once the editor of the pro-bush war newspaper Topic during the Obote II regime, eventually left the media and entered politics, becoming the leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Today, he is among the politicians who have sought registration of a new party, the People’s Freedom Front (PFF), after splitting from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

The press has always been closer to the people than the government, serving as a voice that articulates and clarifies societal issues, often exposing hidden strategies of oppression, suppression, and repression. At times, it even surpasses universities in fostering intellectual growth when academic institutions focus more on scholasticism than intellectual development. In this way, the media is a crucial ally in the fight against ignorance—an ignorance that governments often rely on to maintain control.

It is disheartening to witness President Museveni, who in the 1990s permitted free debate and the exchange of ideas, now appearing intolerant of divergent views. The closure of Busoga One ahead of national elections suggests that the President will not tolerate media outlets, radio stations, or other platforms for critical thinking that could challenge his authority.

If Ugandans believed that Museveni’s journey to the bushes of Luwero was for the genuine democratization of Uganda, they may need to rethink both the man and his vision for the country. It seems he envisions a Uganda where everything begins and ends with him, while dissenting voices are drowned out in a conspiracy of silence.

The critical question is: why does the President desire a closed society, one that may drive Uganda’s youth to seek opportunities abroad, potentially becoming victims of brain drain or modern slavery?

We must pray for the President, that he does not become the enemy of his own legacy. We must also pray for Uganda and its people so that we do not fall victim to a looming political and military crisis—one that could unfold as a true Tragedy of the Commons.

For God and My Country.