NTV Banned from Covering Museveni Rallies

NTV Uganda has been suspended from covering the rallies of president Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidates.

The NTV crew that was covering Museveni rally in Kyenjojo on Thursday seemed oblivious that the station had been banned from covering the rallies was informed Special Forces Command [SFC].

“Better call your managers. Something you have to sort out. Call your managers, they will tell what to do. They did tell you that they suspended you guys?” a soldier told the crew.

A local new website reported that the decision was taken following refusal by the Television’s editorial team, to run video footage taken by the NRM’s drone. The drone was procured by the campaign team to bolster Museveni’s support by showing the real size of this rallies around the country.

Addressing a press conference in Soroti on 9th December, 2015, president Museveni referred to the Daily Monitor and NTV as a bad group.

“Daily Monitor is also a bad paper. Some of these groups like Monitor and NTV don’t know that there is God. They just tell lies. They think that they are the end of the world but God is there looking. You wait. NTV is a bad television. NTV is an enemy television,” Museveni said.

Intimidating Journalists

A new report by human rights watch on the 2016 election process released earlier this month revealed that a number of government agencies and officials were intimidating journalists covering campaigns

The 48-page report, titled “Keep the People Uninformed’: Pre-Election Threats to Free Expression and Association in Uganda,” documents how some journalists and activists are facing increased threats as the elections get closer.

Agencies and officials sighted include the police; resident district commissioners, who represent the president; internal security officials; and the Ugandan Communications Commission, the government broadcasting regulator.