January 14-29, 2015

Attacks on Media Freedoms

State-Owned Media

New Vision, January 29, 2015 – Media banned from reporting on Kasiwukira investigation

• Chief Magistrate's Court banned media from reporting any out-of-court investigations regarding the death of city businessman Erias Ssebunya Bugembe (known as Kasiwukira)
• Magistrate George Watyekere Wakubona ruled that reporting any matter concerning the case would be prejudicial since the case is still in court Defence counsel MacDosman Kabega had submitted request, representing Sarah Nabikolo, a wife to late Kasiwukira, her sister Sandra Nakungu and Police Constable Ashraf Jaden
  
  • defendants had expressed concerns about various stories published by a number tabloids
• "The media is free to report only court proceedings but prohibited from publishing stories outside court in connection to the death of Kasiwukira until the case is heard and disposed of by the High Court," - Watyekere
• Insisting that duty to investigate is a prerogative of the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Police, with claims that the stories infringe on the rights of the suspects who are still presumed innocent
  

New Vision, January 26, 2015 – Battered journalist to undergo spine surgery

• Photojournalist Andrew Lwanga hospitalized after he was battered by the Old Kampala Division Police Commander Joram Mwesigye
• Beaten violently by police and after landing on his back when Mwesigye and other cops beat him while he covered a demonstration by the poor youth in Kampala
• Lwanga was scheduled to undergo lumbar spine surgery and is looking for sh4.5m for this surgery, which he said he did not have.

LRA Developments

State-Owned Media

New Vision, January 26, 2015 – Dominic Ongwen appears before war crimes court

• Former Lord's Resistance Army commander Dominic Ongwen made his first appearance before the International Criminal Court on Monday
  
• Ongwen accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity
  
• initial hearing for the Ugandan child soldier-turned-warlord came days after he was transferred to The Hague-based court o this was following his surprise surrender to US troops earlier this month
  
• "I'd like to thank God for creating Heaven and Earth, together with everyone that's on Earth," –Ongwen
  
• "I was abducted in 1988 and I was taken to the bush when I was 14 years old until now," he said in Acholi, the language spoken in northern Uganda
• "Prior to my arrival at court I was a soldier in the LRA," he admitted
  

New Vision, January 26, 2015 – 13 Killed in S. Sudan Ambush, army blames LRA

• At least 13 people (including three local journalists) ambushed by the Lord's Resistance Army in remote Raja County in the northern part of South Sudan's
  
• "The LRA laid an ambush for a convoy that was being led by the commissioner of the county," -Army spokesperson Philip Aguer
  
• "Unfortunately, the vehicle that was carrying civilians and journalists from Western Bahr el Ghazal and accompanying the commissioner fell into the ambush and three journalists and other civilians – including women and children – were killed," he said.
  
• The LRA's rebellion was first launched more than two decades ago.
  
• Estimates of 200 and 500 of the group's fighters terrorizing local communities across the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
  
• A fresh round of peace talks between the two warring camps is expected to be held this week in Addis Ababa.

Museveni’s Unchecked Power

Privately Owned Media

The Observer, January 25, 2015 – Overstay has painted Museveni darker than Obote, Amin 

• Columnist speaking to historical instances where Museveni was respected for his debated on ideas based on merit, how the president used to be brimming with ideas and condemned the former presidents
  • formerly Museveni had condemned expensive European merchandise and unnecessary government spending
    
  • had declared in 1986 that he was not interested in staying in power but rather just wanted to organize the country and then move on to private sector
    
  • speaks to this in What is Africa’s Problem the forward is by Nyerere who had relinquished his power only after 23 years, but did so with humility and grace  
• Columnist speaks to Museveni’s tendency to speak in a singular personal pronoun. He often says: “it is me who gave you peace. It’s is me who chased dictators Amin and Obote…”
  
• Columnist rightfully argues that this has alienated the leadership from the people

Follow-up on Muslim Leaders’ Killings

Privately Owned Media

The Daily Monitor, January 29, 2015 – Sheikh Kamoga further remanded to Luzira prison

• Court has further incarcerated 18 people, including the Tabliq Muslim sect Amir Sheikh Muhamad Yunus Kamoga over terror-related charges and the recent murder of two Muslim clerics
• Grade One Magistrate Timothy Lumunye remanded Kamoga and 17 others after the state prosecutor told court that investigations into the matter are not complete.
• Kamoga’s co-accused include; Sheikh Ssiraje Kawooya, Sheikh Rashid Jjingo, Sheikh Abdu Salam Ssekayanja, Sheikh Twaha Ssekito and Sheikh Yusuf Kakande ,Sheikh Murta Mudde Bukenya, Sheikh Fahad Kalungi Hakim Kinene Muswaswa, Muzamilu Kasawuli, Arafaat Serunjogi, Badru Bukenya, Alex Okot, Joseph Olanya, Amir Kinene, Aisha Nakasibante and Charles Okidi.
• The prosecution alleges that the group had intent to intimidate the public or sections of the Muslim faith and for a political, religious, social or economic aim involved themselves in a systematic way directed attacks towards shia and Tabliq moslems which resulted into murders
• They were also charged with another count of attempted murder of Sheikh Jemba Haruna