UCC shuts down Kanungu radio station

He accuses KBS of ignoring directives from UCC to stop the broadcast of certain programs that violate the minimum broadcasting standards.

Mutabazi also accuses the radio station for failing to submitting recordings of the said programs as directed in the Commission letter dated October 17th.

In the letter, Mutabazi asked KBS to suspend the station Manager, Ronalds Agaba alias Mwene Ngaro and Desmond Kyokwijuka Misri, the host of the Global Focus program and anchor of Rukiga news.

He also asked management to suspend their programs and submit recordings of all broadcasts by the aforementioned presenters that aired over the past 30 days.

In his October 20th letter, Mutabazi warned that should KBS radio resume broadcasting operations without rectifying the above breaches and obtaining a valid broadcasting license, the commission shall not hesitate to carry out further enforcement actions against it, including prosecution of its directors for illegal broadcast under section 27 (2) of the UCC Act 2013.

James Musinguzi Garuga, the proprietor of the radio couldn't be reached for a comment as his phones were switched off.

One of the employees who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed their woes on political intrigue.

He claimed that some NRM leaders recently threatened to push for the closure of the station for allegedly giving platform to those against the presidential age limit removal.

KBS is a popular destination for opposition leaders targeting audiences in the districts of Kanungu, Rukungiri, Kabale and Kisoro.