The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in Uganda has submitted a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among seeking intervention on a directive issued by the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. The directive mandates that all government advertisements must be run exclusively by Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) and Vision Group (New Vision).
Speaker Among confirmed that NAB had formally written to her office, expressing concerns about the directive and its potential impact on private broadcasters in the country. In response, she has referred the matter to the appropriate parliamentary committee to investigate further.
“The petition regards the Government policy on business to private media houses, where all the adverts are supposed to only be given to two Government media houses,” said Among, the speaker of Parliament.
The circular, dated July 10, 2023, and issued by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi, has triggered controversy among private broadcasters. They argue that the directive effectively blocks them from benefiting from Government advertising revenue and have decided to boycott coverage of Government activities until the directive is reversed/.
Private broadcasters play a crucial role in disseminating information to the public, and the exclusion from Government advertisements may have significant financial implications for their operations.
In addition to the NAB’s petition, the Speaker also referred a separate petition from the Uganda Manufacturing Association (UMA) concerning the sugar sector to the Committee on Trade. This move aligns with the relevant parliamentary procedures (Rules 30 (5) and (10) of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament).
The situation is likely to be closely monitored by various stakeholders, including media houses, the Government, and the public, as it involves issues of media freedom, fair competition, and the impact of Government decisions on the private sector.
“The petition regards the challenges affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the sugar sector as mainly arising from regulatory weaknesses on the part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives,” said Among, the speaker of Parliament
As the Parliamentary Committee on ICT and National Guidance and the Committee on Trade undertake their respective investigations, the final outcomes and potential revisions to the directive will be eagerly awaited by all parties involved.
