17 Sep 10 | Index Index, minipost
A radio news anchor and opposition political activist in Uganda’s central district Mukono was beaten to death with metal bars on 13 September. Dickson Ssentongo routinely read the 7 a.m. news bulletins for Prime Radio station in the Luganda language, but now becomes the second journalist to be killed in the country in three days. On Saturday, the journalist Paul Kiggundu was beaten to death by taxi-drivers. Both Kiggindu and Ssetongo died in hospital some hours after being attacked. No arrests have been made in either case.
14 Sep 10 | Index Index, minipost
A correspondent for Uganda’s Tower of Praise Radio was beaten to death by motorcycle taxi drivers on the night of 11 September. Paul Kiggundu was ambushed by the bikers, known locally as boda-boda, while he was filming some of them demolishing a house. The drivers accused Kiggundu of working for the police, despite his attempts to identify himself as a journalist. The building was reportedly the home of another driver, Frank Kagayi, who the attackers accuse of committing murder and robbery. The journalist died of internal bleeding at Kalisizo Government Hospital. No arrests have been made.
27 Aug 10 | Index Index, minipost
The Constitutional Court has declared Uganda’s law on sedition null and void. Journalists will no longer be legally prevented from criticising President Yoweri Museveni or his government. A panel of five judges ruled on 25 August that the law violated the public’s right to free speech, which is guaranteed in Uganda’s constitution. The executive secretary of the Media Council of Uganda Haruna Kanaabi said that the law has often been used as a way of silencing dissent, particularly ahead of next year’s general elections. The government has announced that it will be appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision.
25 Mar 10 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
The International Press Institute has accused the Ugandan government of conducting a “well-planned campaign to stifle the media” ahead of next year’s election. Wangethi Mwangi, Kenyan board member of the global organisation, cited the Press and Journalist Amendment Bill as proof of the president’s Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s efforts to silence the East African country’s independent press. This legislation, if passed, will give authorities the power to revoke the licenses of media organisations if they publish material deemed “prejudicial to national security”.
