E.U- JOURNALISTS’ RIGHTS MATTER, STOP COLDHEARTED ACTS

The European Union Mission in Uganda has expressed concern about the increasing situations implicating security personnel in violation of journalist’s rights while executing their exertion.

The Danish Ambassador in Uganda Nimisha Madhvani challenges journalists to essentially act professionally while executing their work.

“The European Union is also concerned that even when cases are reported, the majority of the perpetrators go unpunished. This habit should be stopped by government because evidence is always available” says Nimisha.

Nimisha said this during an Inauguration of the Uganda Editors Guild in Kampala as Uganda marked the World Press Freedom Day.

The theme for World Press Day 2021 was “Information as a Public Good”. Enhanced Media and Information Literacy capacities that enable people to recognize and value, as well as defend and demand, journalism as a vital part of information as a public good.

During the same function, the Army spokesperson Brig Gen Flavia Byekwaso said that shebelieves a lot has been achievedby journalistsdespite weaknesses exhibited by some individuals within the Local Defense Unit.

“We have punished our ill-mannered people so it will be the cases if they go against orders to antagonize journalists” confirms Brig Byekwaso.

Twaweza East Africa’s Executive Director Aidan Eyakuze has challenged the media in Uganda to avoid being partisan if they are to gain the citizens’ trust and also tackle global challenges.

He was attending the launch of the Editors Guild of Uganda on world press Freedom Day which is celebrated every 3^rd of May worldwide.

Eyakuze said information is key in addressing challenges in the health sector, social inequalities, economic fragmentation and preserving climate change for the future generation both locally and internationally.

He however warns that if the media is forced to promote state and authoritarian propaganda then its information ceases to be a public good since it will not be serving local issues.

Eyakuze cites Tanzania where the media was suppressed and barred from publishing covid-19 related information; it worsened the spread of the disease and ended up killing government authorities.

The Editors Guild of Uganda comprises of Chairman Daniel Kalinaki, Alex B. Atuhaire is the Treasurer, Sylvia Nankya the Secretary, David Mukholi, Joyce Bagala and Pius Katunzi are executive Members.