RDC Under fire for blocking FDC Boss from a radio talk show

By Andrew Cohen Amvesi

ADJUMANI. The Adjumani Resident District Commissioner (RDC) has come under immense pressure from the public to apologize for blocking Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) boss from appearing on a radio talk show on Aulogo Fm, a local radio station in Adjumani town.

Hassan Kaps Fungaroo who was blocked from appearing for a radio talk show.

Reports indicate that Isaac Icega Andi, the Aulogo FM station Manager was under strict instructions from the office of the deputy RDC Adjumani not to allow Hassan Kaps Fungaroo, the FDC National Secretary for Mobilization and Organization for his planned talk show.

In an audio that went viral on social media, Fungaroo who doubles as the Obongi County MP Emeritus was heard squeezing Icega to explain why they are blocking him from appearing for his earlier scheduled talk show.

Under pressure to appologize_ Swadick Angupale, the Adjumani Deputy

Icega, who was sounding scared, explained to Fungaroo that he got instructions from the deputy RDC not to allow him on air.

“I think we had planned that you will be on air, then we received information from the security Adjumani that you have not gotten clearance from them,” Icega said as Fungaroo pushed him to mention the security officer who called him.

“I spoke to RDC and I also spoke to the deputy RDC. The other time we were arrested here because there were some members of FDC who came here for some program but we were arrested including me. RDC Taban Data said he is out of the district and that he is not feeling okay, it is the deputy RDC who is within,” Icega explained.

“I think it will be better for formality if you can write to them what you want to talk about,” Iceta pleaded with Fungaroo.

But Fungaroo said: “I will never write to them, if this is the Uganda you are building, I will never write to an RDC to ask for permission to move for a radio talk show. If you are not going to have radio stations you better stop having radio stations. We can not have a country run in this way. We made arrangements with you and you made me come all the way from Obongi to Adjumani and I went up to the radio station waiting for my time to enter the studio, then you tell me that the RDC has stopped me from going to the radio station?”

Fungaroo demanded to know the law which states that for a leader to access a radio station, he must first seek permission from the RDC.

The audio, however, generated a lot of public outbursts with many asking the deputy RDC, Swadick Angupale to consider apologizing to Fungaroo.

Stephen Dradenya Amazia, one of the concerned locals, said Angupale has not offered an explanation and cannot plead ignorance about what happened.

“It was Deputy RDC Adjumani who blocked the talk show, not you as an individual. What I expected from you Deputy RDC is to apologize for inheriting a tainted office, promise and work towards improving your image and that of the Deputy RDC office,” Dradenya said after Angupale denied being part of the standoff.

“From my findings, this audio was recorded before I was appointed the RDC Adjumani. It was on 20/03/2022 that Hon had planned to have a radio talk show on the above radio station and the topic he proposed was ” FDC today and Obongi today”. I am therefore here to clear the waves being involved. The date coincided with the day when Late Rt Hon Speaker of the Parliament was pronounced dead! and my appointment was after his death,” Angupale posted on different social media platforms.

Angupale noted that on record, it is not the first time Hon Fungaroo has been stopped from radio talk shows in Adjumani.

“The topic equally had fixed the moderators who were not prepared on how to moderate it and they assumed there would be diversion of the discussions in the due course,” Angupale further claimed.