I have faced the real wrath of Uganda’s journalists especially now that I am in campaigns for political leadership. Money, money and nothing else for you to appear on radio, in papers, etc.
For starters, I am contesting for the Fort Portal Municipality parliamentary seat on the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket.
Just recent, one Monday evening our FDC chairperson (Kabarole district) calls us for a press conference and the issue was to unveil the FDC candidates who won their primaries to the public.
A good number of journalists appeared representing every media institution that matters. We (candidates) raised a good number of issues but simply little was aired on Fort Portal based FM radio stations – in any case, maybe the little was to show the public that we (journalists) are professional because we are balancing all corners.
The next day, I accidentally landed on one of the news editors of the Fort Portal based FM station, pushed him to wall to answer why the opposition received a media blackout. I heard a very interesting answer – You never gave us anything.
On one hand, surely, I felt it was unfair but on the other, sympathy flowed in my heart for the journalists. I am a journalist myself who has seen it all. Exploitation looks like it is the order of the day in this whole journalism profession.
Only a few big media institutions like New Vision and Daily monitor pay their staff well. Then, how do you expect them to survive without making such ungodly moves. They have families, girl friends and therefore, a life to live.
Owners of media institutions likewise are shrewd businessmen who should not be blamed because they use any loophole in our laws to maximize their profits.
Why not blame the government (sorry, but you went to power promising to solve all that mess). This business of calling every Tom, Dick and Harry to come and invest in the media without putting up clear employment policies is messing up the whole profession.
Mind you, our profession is very noble and without it, corruption remains at very unmanageable levels in this country. This is time for our government to priotise setting up better employment policies like putting up a minimum wage for the benefit of our country.
