Godfrey Mutabazi, UCC Boss

The minister of justice and constitutional affairs Kahinda Otafire has advised the Uganda communication commission boss Godfrey Mutabazi  not to shut up the former press secretary of the president Tamale Murundi. He said that those who are aggrieved by the utterances made by the former press secretary of the president Tamale Murundi  while on radio or television should to take him to court.

The post Take grievances to court – Otafire tells UCC and Mirundi first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The 1995 Constitution of Uganda provides for freedom of speech, expression of opinion but this is not the case with the UPDF soldiers.

A senior army officer in UPDF rang one of our informers this morning and wondered why the commander in chief of Uganda’s armed forces reportedly put standing orders that restrain soldiers from speaking to the media without authorization.

The officer said that even if they serve in the army they remain with a right to give an opinion, to speak to the press and or to tell the world what do not go down well in the army. The senior army officer asked journalists to discredit this standing order until it is scrapped.

The soldier told us that the standing orders are that ‘whoever speaks to the press without authorization risks dismissal from the army with disgrace and or imprisonment.

The post UPDF soldiers asked to restrain from speaking to journalists first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Mwasansozi says that if the Kabaka felt it was not necessary for people to talk about the new born prince he wouldn’t have told the Katikkiro to make the matter public.

Mwasansozi says that Buganda has no powers to criticise President Museveni that he is dictatorial when it also not democratic. The Buluri cultural leader reminds the Kabaka and his fellow leaders of Buganda Kingdom that freedom of expression is an inherent human right that is provided for under Article 29 of the Constitution of Uganda.

The Buganda kingdom on Thursday warned against the publication of stories about the kingdom’s baby prince Richard Ssemakookiro and his mother.

In a news statement signed by the Katikkiro (prime minister) of Buganda J.B Walusimbi, Buganda warned that it will no longer accept apologies from people or institutions which intentionally or unintentionally talks ill about the prince and his mother. Mwasansozi says that all that is rubbish because all Ugandans have freedom of speech and expression.

The post Buganda has no powers to ban publication of Semakokiro stories, says Sabaluuri first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Unfortunately, the government failed to respond to the pressing economic problems. Instead security forces were ordered to arrest peaceful activists and shoot at protesters, turning the police into an instrument of repression.

Moreover, you policemen and women, who are ordered by the repressive state to harass, arrest and even shoot at us are the ones who have suffered the most from this government’s insensitive policies. You are among the lowest paid public servants, you have never earned a living wage and your living conditions in police quarters are deplorable. Sincerely, a policeman who works 24 hours to earn a better living can never whatsoever (with his/her monthly earnings) take own children to good schools neither by a car.

Whenever we (A4C) see pictures and videos of you beating innocent Ugandans we don’t see those who give the orders, we see suffering policemen who purportedly take orders from above to persecute the same citizens who are fighting for rights that would benefit all of us. As we enter an important stage of our campaign this month, we appeal to you the police to stand in solidarity with ordinary Ugandans who are exercising their democratic rights of assembly, protest and freedom of speech.

When we started protesting, inflation was at 14.1%, today it has doubled to 28.3%. A liter of petrol was at ush3, 400, it now goes for ush3, 900, a kilogramme of sugar was at ush2, 800, now it is at ush6, 000, a sack of charcoal was at ush25, 000 and now it is at ush75, 000, yet the salaries of policemen have remained static.

There is no justification whatsoever in arresting, maiming, tear gassing and killing activists who are fighting for your rights. We are all victims of repression. It is not logical for victims to fight another victim. With such fights all victims lose. We therefore urge you the police to stand with us as we demand for change.

By Mathias Mpuuga

MP Masaka Municipality

The post Police have suffered most from government’s insensitive policies first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.