PRESS RELEASE

UGANDAN MEDIA LEADERS SUPPORT FORMATION OF EDITORS’ FORUM

For Immediate Release

08 February 2018
KAMPALA

Senior editors from the country’s major media houses and other industry players have endorsed
a proposal to form an association of editors and content managers in Uganda as part of efforts
to strengthen professionalism and promote self-regulation.

The group, which met in Lugogo, Kampala, also elected an interim executive committee to steer
the association through its formative stages.

It includes Mr Daniel Kalinaki, the General Manager, Editorial at Nation Media Group Uganda,
Mr David Mukholi, the Managing Editor (Editorial) of Vision Group, Ms. Joyce Bagala, the
Head of News at NBS TV, Mr Alex Atuhaire, the Editorial Director of the online PML Daily, Ms
Sylvia Nankya, an editor at the Uganda Radio Network, and Mr Pius Katunzi Muteekani of The
Observer.

The committee will oversee the drafting, consideration and adoption of a constitution and other
foundational documents, as well as the election of a substantive executive by the end of April
2019.

“This is an important step in self-organisation and professionalisation in the media industry,”

said Dr Peter Mwesige, executive director of the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME),
and national facilitator for the International Training Programme (ITP) on Media Self
Regulation in a Democratic Framework. The ITP is funded by the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

“We must check our own conduct and enforce our own ethics in order to make a credible case
for self-regulation,” said Mr. Kalinaki, the interim chairperson of the executive committee. “Our
job is to build a framework that defends media freedoms while ensuring responsibility and
professional conduct.”

The Uganda team of participants on the ITP came up with the proposal to form a forum or
association of editors and content managers. It includes Ms. Barbara Kaija, Editor-in-Chief of
Vision Group, Hon. Paul Amoru Omiat (Dokolo North), who is also chairperson of the Uganda
Parliamentary Form on Media, Mr. Adolf Mbaine, Senior Lecturer at the Department of
Journalism & Communication at Makerere University. Others are Ms. Rose Mary Kemigisha,
Senior Human Rights Officer/Editor at the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Mr. Abudu-
Sallam Waiswa, Head of Legal at Uganda Communications Commission, and Mr. Peter Okello
Jabweli, a lawyer and member of the Media Council of Uganda.

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In her introductory remarks, Ms. Kaija said the purpose of the forum was to “create a common
voice for editors” who “share the same vision to be the eyes, ears and voices” of the public. She
added that it would help restore professionalism and credibility in the media.

Reading from a concept note on the formation of the association, Dr Mwesige said, “The
association would not only promote and guard journalistic standards”, it would also work
towards the safety of all journalists.

According to the Uganda ITP team, the failure of previous attempts at self-regulation has left
the doors open to statutory regulation, which makes the industry vulnerable to control by the
government and owners.

Regulatory challenges were blamed on weak journalists’ associations; disunity and lack of
cohesion in the industry; weak regulatory frameworks open to political and other forms of
interference; inadequate transparency from media regulators; low levels of media literacy; and
“media owners who (pay more attention) “to the bottom line than to journalism’s public
interest mission”.

Failure at self-organisation was in turn blamed for “weakened professional fellowship”, a

“regulatory vacuum that has exacerbated unprofessionalism and lack of accountability amongst
media practitioners” as well as “loss of public trust and confidence in the media”.

Further information

For more information on this statement please contact Dr. Peter G. Mwesige at +256784471527
(info@acme-ug.org), Ms. Barbara Kaija at +256772613428 (bkaija@newvision.co.ug), or Mr.
Daniel Kalinaki +256752705271 (dkalinaki@ug.nationmedia.com).