Reporter Alerts

 
Wrong President Set In Access to Information Petition Feb 3rd 2003
The chief Magistrate’s court in Nakawa has dismissed a petition filed by two Monitor journalists, in which they wanted court to compel government to publish the oil sharing agreements. Last year Charles Mwanguhya, the political Editor of Daily Monitor and Angelo Izama, a senior reporter with the same paper, filed a petition in court asking court to order government to publish the oil sharing agreement. The journalists argued in their petition that the oil sharing agreements were public documents which should be made public. But in his ruling today Deo Sejjemba, the Nakawa chief Magistrate said that government business is not supposed to be in the public domain. Sejjembe said that the members of the public should have confidence in government to be able to transact the oil exploration. He therefore dismissed the petition without awarding costs. Shortly after hearing the ruling Mwanguhya, said the ruling had set a major road to access to information bill. He said the ruling is meant to enforce the government secrecy on the oil exploration in Western Uganda.
 
Monitor Journalists Charged over NRM Chacamchaka story FEbruary 3, 2010
Two journalists have appeared in court over a story that was published in Sunday Monitor, last year. Henry Ocheing, the Editor of Sunday Monitor and Angelo Izama  appeared today before Makindye Grade one magistrate, Immaculate Busingye. They were charged with criminal libel and released on bail. Prosecution told court that the two defamed president Yoweri Museveni, when they authored an article titled “Preparing for the 2011 elections by arming troops”, which ran in Sunday Monitor on December 20, 2009. The article highlighted concerns of stakeholders and diplomats in Kampala about the ruling NRM party’s decision to give military drills to its ‘election scouts’. Both Ochieng and Izama pleaded not guilty to the crime and applied for bail. Busingye granted the accused bail on a cash bond of 100,000 shillings, each. Each of their sureties were bonded by court for shillings 500,000, not in cash. David Ouma Balikoowa, Nicholas Ssengooba, Charles Mwanguhya and Hussein Kashiling stood surety for the journalists. Busingye ordered the accused to return to court on February 26, when their case will come up for mention. 
This is the second time Ochieng is being charged with publishing articles which flout the law, within a space of less than six months.
In august last year Ochieng was dragged to the magistrate’s with Daniel Kalinaki, the Daily Monitor Managing Editor and with forgery. The two were accused of forging President Yoweri Museveni’s letter on the controversial ring fencing of electoral offices in Kabale.
Gulu Chief Magistrate Stays Prosecution of Monitor Gulu Bureau Chief Joseph Omodo Nyanga, the Gulu chief magistrate has reversed a decision by the grade II magistrate’s court to proceed with the trial of a Daily Monitor journalist charged with libel. Moses Akena, the Daily Monitor Gulu Bureau chief is charged with publishing defamatory information against Milton Odongo, the Gulu Deputy Resident District Commissioner. The charges arose from statements Patrick Lumumba, the Gulu district Speaker made at a press briefing which Akena published in the Daily Monitor newspaper. Assumpta Ssebunya of Nangwala, Rezida and Company advocates, who appeared for Daily Monitor last week, asked Gulu grade II magistrate court to stay the proceeding until the Supreme Court rules on an appeal challenging the law on libel. But Mike Okonye, the grade II magistrate announced yesterday that he would continue to hear the case despite an ongoing Supreme Court appeal against the law on libel. Mike Okonye ruled that his court would not wait for the outcome of the Supreme Court case because he said the libel case against Moses Akena would be judged based on its own merits. But Omodo yesterday evening said that it was inappropriate for a lower court to proceed and hear a case when a higher court is yet to pronounce itself over a similar charge. Omodo Nyanga said the case would finally be decided upon by the Gulu High court Judge on October 22. Four Daily Monitor journalists, appealed to the Supreme Court for an interpretation on the law on criminal libel. In June this year a panel of five Constitutional Court judges unanimously upheld the law on criminal libel. They said it does not contravene any provision of the constitution. They said the law is meant to safeguard against the infringement on people’s reputations. The Daily Monitor then took their case to the Supreme Court. Patrick Otim, Freelance Reporter, Pader Otim and 10 others were formerly charged with treason on Monday June 15th 2009 at the Buganda Road Court. While this may have ended speculation about the whereabouts, fresh questions emerged about the involvement of a journalist described as “Active and Courageous” in rebel activities. Patrick Otim a freelance reporter based in Pader disappeared on 8th June 2009. Information gathered from his home indicates that he was picked up between 9PM and 11Pm from his Restaurant/Pub on Kalong Road, Pader town council. Otim and his wife Evelyn run the Redeemer Restaurant and Pub where the family resided in the back room at the same area. Security agencies in Acholi are using the arrest of Patrick Otim and now his treason trial to intimidate and box the media into a corner. The security chiefs of Gulu district have been on various radio stations to basically send a chilling message to the rest of the journalists. They warn them of being “picked up” like Otim. This has enhanced self-censorship mechanisms and ultimate fear among practicing journalists and talk show hosts. There is a sense that the security agencies are literally watching and listening to your every conversation in public and private as well as the phone. Daily Monitor Editor Charged for Fogging Presidents, Memo Editors and Journalists of Uganda's largest private newspaper are on bail pending trial on criminal charges for allegedly fogging president Museveni’s letter. Makindye Chief Magistrate, Joyce Kavuma, granted a cash bail of five hundred thousand shillings to Daniel Kalinaki, managing editor of the Daily Monitor, and Henry Ochieng, editor of the Sunday Monitor. The two are charged with forgery after the paper reproduced a copy of a leaked presidential memorandum on the now controversial ring-fencing of political positions in Bunyoro region to avoid domination by the immigrant Bakiga.