Human Rights and Media in Uganda; A critical Analysis of the Mass Media Freedom

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating the level of independence and freedom of the mass media industry in Uganda. It explored the challenges that media professionals practically go through and face in the process of carrying out media work and practicing their professions in Uganda, and secondly, it identified how both the existing and newly proposed laws impact on the mass media freedom in Uganda while drawing from the domestic, national, regional and international laws. Qualitative methods were used in this research with interviews and content Analysis being central.

The findings indicate that the mass media in Uganda is still not free as most respondents concurred with what is in the documented reports by HRW, Amnesty International, UHRC, IFEX, CPJ, and HRNJ about media censorship in Uganda. A critical analysis of the various media laws in Uganda revealed that they have not been aligned to regional and international standards.

The study, recommends among other things that the government of Uganda should respect freedom of expression as laid down under the constitution, regional and international laws. Secondly, that the media laws in Uganda should be revisited, to meet the regional and international standard by way of repealing clauses that are hostile and unfriendly to free practice of mass media. A self-regulatory media system should be adopted as a way of ensuring less interference by the government in the regulatory process.