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.

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However it was not an all-smooth sailing process as Opposition Members of Parliament stormed out of the Appointments Committee to protest the appointment of Justice Steven Kavuma as the new Deputy Chief Justice.

Kavuma’s appointment to the 2nd highest office in the judiciary has been marred in controversy as this comes two days after a petition to block his appointment was thrown out of court.

The opposition MPs who included the leader of opposition Wafula Ogutu, Betty Amongi and Richard Sebuliba protested Justice Kavuma’s appointment on the basis that Kavuma did not apply to the judicial service commission for the job.

Despite the protests, Kavuma was approved as the Deputy Chief Justice by the committee anyway.

On the other hand, the Chief justice Bart Katurebe upon being approved by the committee pledged to make the judiciary more independent than before.

The ministers who appeared before the committee include Jim Muhwezi the new Minister for Information and National Guidance, Evelyn Anite, Minister of state for Youth, Vicent Sempija, Minister of state for Agriculture, Philimon Mateke, Minister of state for Regional cooperation, David Bahati, Minister of state for Planning,   Dr. Chris Baryomunsi Minister of state for Health and Taboa Tekodiri  as Minister of state for Higher Education.

Bahati said that he is going to make sure that money borrowed will be used for that purpose and not misused.

Evelyn Anite promised to focus on youth unemployment and protection of children using the child protection unit.

“If approved I will focus on protection of children using the child protection unit” said Anite minutes before facing the Appointments committee

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