Museveni decree on FM radios worryingThe government owned New Vision newspaper yesterday reported that President Yoweri Museveni had decreed that any FM station that gives voice to exiled opposition leaders risked being shut down.However, while speaking on Radio West, the president denied blocking Col. Kizza Besigye from being hosted on the station. Instead, the president said the policy is that radio stations should not allow people who don’t distance themselves from rebels or enemies to talk. By denying that he blocked Besigye but insisting that radio stations keep out “rebels and enemies”, President Museveni was sending conflicting signals. This raises two fundamental issues: First, the Constitution provides for freedom of speech, and of the press. Interfering with these rights outside the law is, therefore, a breach of the Constitution. Secondly, let us assume that President Museveni was speaking under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Enacted early this year by Parliament, the Act has a clause that suggests publishing (or airing) the views of a terrorist, amounts to treason and is punishable by life imprisonment or death. However, apart from Lord’s Resistance Army warlord, Joseph Kony, the government has not listed any other Ugandan as a terrorist. This law, therefore, does not cover “rebels and enemies”. In any case, the President and his government must avail to the media a list of these “rebels and enemies”. It seems the president’s weekend decree is the crest of a long-running government ploy to brutally muzzle the press, using action outside the law. This is sad because the media is already collapsing under the weight of existing draconian legislation so conveniently exploited by the government. In 1988, at the height of the rebel insurrection in the east and north, the government enacted the Penal Code Statute No.9, allegedly to prevent the press from publishing information on military installations, equipment, or supplies. Their motive was to block reports of army atrocities. Then when opposition groups commented in the media about the influx of Rwandese refugees in the army, the government issued the “anti-sectarian statute”. Government continues to arrest journalists on the basis of outmoded sedition and criminal libel laws, has issued laws requiring the annual licensing of journalists and hijacked the media council. It’s unfortunate that President Museveni thinks that we need another decree over and above these draconian measures. November 19, 2002 00:53:27 The Mulindwas
communication group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" |
