On August 10, 2023, President Yoweri K. Museveni met broadcasters under their umbrella body, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), at State House, Entebbe, and asked them to always be patriotic and avoid promoting politics of identity.
The President reminded the NAB team that he began combating sectarianism and identity politics in 1965 with three goals in mind: prosperity for Africa, strategic security, and brotherhood in the country.
“I used the opportunity to tell the broadcasters under their umbrella body, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), to always be patriotic and avoid promoting politics of identity,” Museveni stated.
He requested that Ugandan media outlets read the country’s history and compare it to the current situation. He warned that the NRM will not tolerate past politics in the country.
During the meeting, Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi informed the President that the private broadcasters were failing to pay staff salaries and taxes as a result of his directive to the Prime Minister in his letter dated March 6, 2023, in which he directed that all government advertising business be channelled to Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) and New Vision.
In his response, President Museveni agreed to withdraw the directive on private media and said that UBC will also be competing for government businesses just like the other media houses without any presidential immunity.
The president also instructed Baryomunsi to arrange the meeting with the NAB team so that they can agree on the criteria for how they will be evaluated for government advertising spending, and his directive was not intended to harm the private sector but to revitalise UBC.
The NAB team, under the direction of Mr. Kin Kariisa, concurred that UBC needs special consideration.
The meeting was also attended by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, and the Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Mr. Ramathan Ggoobi, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, among others.