The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) has condemned a recent directive from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) requiring media house owners to regulate their employees' personal social media platforms.
UJA has labeled the directive as unconstitutional and a significant threat to press freedom.
Issued by UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo on October 18, 2024, during a meeting in Kampala, the directive mandates that media houses monitor and penalise journalists for their social media posts, which UJA argues is an overreach of the UCC’s authority.
UJA secretary general Emmanuel Kirunda criticised the move, likening it to a similar directive from 2019, when former UCC executive director Godfrey Mutabazi ordered 13 media houses to sack 39 journalists. That order was halted by the High Court.
"Notable among the media houses were Akaboozi FM, BBS TV, Beat FM, Kingdom TV, NBS TV, NTV, Pearl FM, Salt TV, Sapientia FM, and Simba FM," Kirunda stated.
In 2019, UJA filed a petition against the UCC’s directive, arguing it violated constitutional freedoms of speech and the press.
"The judge observed in her ruling that the UCC's directive was illegal as it contravened the journalists’ rights to freedom of speech, expression, and publication, as enshrined in the Constitution of Uganda," Kirunda said.
He further noted that in its 2019 directive, UCC demanded media houses submit within three days the names, particulars, and qualifications of the targeted journalists, along with recordings of live programs and news bulletins aired on April 29, 2019.
"Sadly, the same Commission is back with a similar directive, this time targeting social media use, aiming to stifle constitutionally guaranteed press freedoms that are inseparable from freedom of speech," Kirunda warned.
UJA now fears the new directive will lead to widespread retrenchments and a surge in legal battles between media houses and the Commission..
"We strongly protest and reject the UCC directive, and we urge media owners to disregard it, as they risk being embroiled in endless legal battles," Kirunda urged.
He also called upon the judiciary to expedite the pending cases involving journalists, including the case against the UCC, to reduce ongoing injustices against the media.
"If any media professional falls victim to this directive, UJA will not hesitate to seek legal redress for their rights. We also humbly request the Court to conclude all pending cases, including the one against UCC," Kirunda said.
Last week, UCC introduced new guidelines to combat misinformation, negativity, and indecent content across media platforms.
A key element of these guidelines is holding media employers accountable for their employees' social media activity.
Nyombi Thembo, the UCC Executive Director, defended the decision, pointing out that some media personalities have gained social influence through their roles in the industry, and often misuse that influence negatively.
He emphasised that the Commission’s goal is to address these concerns by making employers responsible for their employees’ actions.
“If you have gained fame through the waves you have worked on and now want to profit from your influence, go home and post. The problem arises when you misuse that influence negatively while hiding behind a brand—that’s what we are going to fight,” Thembo stated.
Thembo clarified that while employers are responsible for their staff’s behavior, the guidelines are not designed to strip media personalities of their individual rights.
Instead, they align Uganda’s regulations with global practices on managing negative content from celebrities.