Uganda Media Sustainability Index (MSI)
April 9, 2012
About the MSI
IREX designed the MSI to measure the strength and viability of any country's media sector. The MSI considers all the factors that contribute to a media system—the quality of journalism, effectiveness of management, the legal environment supporting freedom of the press, and more—to arrive at scores on a scale ranging between 0 and 4. These scores represent the strength of the media sector components and can be analyzed over time to chart progress (or regression) within a country. Additionally, countries or regions may be compared to one another. IREX currently conducts the MSI in 80 countries, and began studying Africa in 2006.
MSI Overview | Africa | Asia | Europe & Eurasia | Middle East & North Africa
Download Complete Uganda Chapter (PDF): 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2006/7
MSI Uganda - 2010 Introduction
Overall Country Score: 2.43
Freedom of the press and of speech in Uganda suffered a setback in 2010, in the lead-up to the 2011 general presidential, parliamentary, and local governmental elections. Most seriously, two journalists died under mysterious circumstances. Paul Kiggundu, a correspondent with TOP radio and television, was killed on September 11, 2010; and Dickson Ssentongo, a correspondent with Prime Radio, was killed on September 13, 2010. Many other media members Furthermore, the government closed five radio stations, allegedly for inciting violence in which people lost lives and property. These radio stations, namely Akaboozi ku bbiri (Radio II), Radio Sapiencia for the Catholic Church, Suubi FM, and two CBS radio stations restarted eventually, but the last took more than a year to reopen. On government orders, some radio presenters and shows were suspended indefinitely as a condition of re-opening.have been beaten and arrested and some tortured by security personnel, including the police.
Political activists, including some opposition members of parliament, were prevented from organizing public rallies. Activists with constituencies in the capital and urban areas especially were targeted. The government continued using riot police and other security operatives to disperse peaceful opposition political rallies, on grounds that the rallies were illegal and not authorized by the police Inspector General.
The government also continued threats to pass new, tougher media laws and amend the existing laws; however, media trade associations managed to counter the threats by mobilizing all stakeholders to resist moves likely to result in new laws. “Because of the united pressure we have applied, government is shying away from plans for new media laws to restrict press freedom. The process has stalled at the cabinet level,” noted Muwanga Kakooza, a parliamentary reporter with New Vision Group, the leading media house in Uganda.
On a positive note, the Law on Sedition was abolished through a constitutional ruling. The victory was the result of a petition that media organizations filed in the Uganda Constitutional Court, challenging the legality of the law. Along with this achievement, a number of government cases filed against journalists and politicians have been thrown out. However, some laws remain that prohibit the freedom of speech and press, and the media community continues its struggle to have them abolished. All the above contradicts the nation’s constitution, which clearly has provisions that guarantee both press freedom and freedom of speech.
Despite this environment, Uganda’s media show signs of growth and strength, with some media houses expanding into new platforms, while others make new investments in the industry. Insults, accusations, and attacks on the media from politicians and others are the order of the day, but the hostility has not stopped the media from playing their roles as watchdogs exposing wrongdoing.
