MP William Nokrach (Left) during a recent graduation

The elected Members of Parliament representing people with disabilities, William Nokrach,  for northern Uganda and Hood Katuramu for western Uganda have this afternoon taken oath.

It  should be noted that last month court nullified the election of both MPs due to electoral malpractices and fresh elections conducted which the 2 won again.

The oath was administered by both the Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige and witnessed by the Speaker, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, who presented the MPs with a copy of the constitution and rules of procedure of Parliament

The MPs after swearing in said that there main aim is to lobby for implementation of laws that address issues that affect people with disabilities.

The post Re-elected MPs with disabilities take second oath first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The commission in a letter dated March 9th 2015, wrote to several media houses demanding that they nominate new reporters to replace the crop that has been in Parliament from 2009 and beyond. The directive affects more than 50 journalists from different media platforms.

During a meeting with media editors at Parliament on Monday, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga expressed anger over the conduct of some of the journalists attached to the House.

According to sources who attended the highly charged meeting, Kadaga accused some of the journalists of negative reporting, many times not cross checking their facts.

Apparently, the Speaker cited reporting on the vetting of the Deputy Chief Justice, Stephen Kavuma as an example of the reporters’ bias. She said the Appointments Committee had received a letter from the Judicial Service Commission, confirming that Kavuma had indeed been shortlisted for the job but some journalists reported that he had not been shortlisted for the job. She was visibly bitter that the journalists did not crosscheck their facts with the committee.

She further accused the reporters of negative reporting and indiscipline including journalists demanding for money from legislators to run their stories.

Kibirige is reported to have expressed anger over a letter written by the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association President, Agnes Nandutu, giving an ultimatum to Parliament to withdraw the letter or be dragged to court.

Kibirige, according to another source who attended the meeting but asked to remain anonymous, reportedly said the letter from her office to media editors is still valid, but dismissed UPPA’s letter, terming the association as a lobby group.

The meeting was also attended by two Parliamentary Commissioners, Rosemary Sseninde (Wakiso Woman Member of Parliament) and William Nokrach (Member of Parliament PWDs Northern Uganda).

While some of the editors are said to have sided with the directive but asked for more time to consult, others demanded that the Commission adduces names of particular journalists accused of misbehavior.

However, Kadaga and the commissioners declined to do so.  They instead promised that they would go back to the drawing board and discuss the matter further, after which the editors would be called for a follow-up meeting.

The post Parliament insists on kicking out experienced journalists first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

That sounds like a joke right but in a letter signed by the Clerk to Parliament Jane Kibirige, which Ultimate Media Consult has seen, Parliament reasons that for purposes of “balanced media coverage” the media houses should act accordingly.

“The purpose of this letter is therefore to inform you that the Parliamentary Commission has in the interest of balanced media coverage of Parliament made a decision to the effect that all reporters who have been covering Parliament for more than 5 years should be replaced with effect from 1st May 2015.” reads the letter in part.

This therefore is to request that you arrange for the replacement for all Parliamentary Reporters from your organization who have been covering Parliament since the year 2009. The names of those reporters from your organization are highlighted on the attached list.

Some of the renown journalists who appear on the said list of over 50 journalists is Jingo Francis of NTV, Mercy Nalugo of the Daily Monitor and Yasin Mugerwa also of the Daily Monitor.

The leaders of the Parliamentary Press Association have condemned the decision

Agnes Nanduttu says that the parliamentary press association is ready to discuss the matter with the commission especially the speaker, but will seek for a court injunction if dialogue fails. Even though the the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has denied playing any part in the decision and promised to review the decision administratively various journalists have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the Parliamentary Commission’s decision.

Here are the posts of two of the Uganda’s journalists. We found Lydia Namubiru’s and Isaac Imaka’s protests against the decision of the Parliamentary Commission among others

List of Journalists who are affected by the directive

1. Ismail Laddu
2. Kakaire Sulaiman
3. Ahmed Mukiibi
4. Ahmed Katerega
5. Muwanga kakooza
6. Stephen Musoke
7. Henry Mulindwa
8. Dalton Kaweesa
9. Wambi Micheal
10. Siraje Karyango
11. Joshua Mmali
12. Odongotho Charles
13. Daniel Arap Moi
14. Dick Mvule
15. Kenneth Lukwago
16. Joyce Bagala
17. Wasswa Richard
18. Edwin Mamuto
19. Nahabwe Boaz
20. John Odyek
21. Cyprian Musoke
22. Enock Kakande
23.John Kakande
24. Felix Osike
25.Yasin Mugerwa
26. Mercy Nalugo
27. Isaac Imaka
28. Geoffrey Seruyange
29. Joseph Kiggundu
30. Nelson Wesonga
31. Jingo Francis
32. Agnes Nandutu
33. Senabulya Isaac
34. John Kakande
35. Timothy Sibasi
36. Dan Lugemwa
37. Walugembe Moses
38. Musinguzi Innocent
39. Bakka Isaac
40. Rogers Okwany
41. Joyce Namutebi
42. Alice Lubwama
43. Sarah Natoolo
44. Moses Kajangu
45. Rose Kasigwa
46. Savio Kyambadde
47. Busulwa Martin Nsereko
48. Charles Kazooba
49. Nkonge Ismail
50. Peter Busomeke
51. Halima Athumani

The post Journalists up in arms against Parliament directive to throw out experienced reporters first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The two will run the parliamentary affairs in an acting capacity as the house awaits the official appointment of a substantive clerk to parliament by president Museveni.

Kajja and Wabwire are now the new accounting officers of Uganda parliament. Article 87 of the Uganda constitution provides that it is the president who appoints the Clerk to parliament in consultation with the public service commission.

Tandekwire retired public service last week. Tandekwire has been the clerk to parliament since 1986.

The speaker of parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga has confrmed that Chris Kijja and Paul Wabwire are the new parliament accounting officers working in an acting capacity.

Ultimate Media

The post Clerk to Parliament Aeneas Tandekwire replaced first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.