Running a media organization in Uganda can be quite challenging. Shrinking advertising revenues and the bleak economic environment mean that most media organizations must tread carefully. They must please a few people and organizations who pull the purse strings hoping to make some money. That is why many media organizations will not dare write critical stories about some individuals or organizations even if the stories are in public interest. Some of these individuals have “spies” or henchmen within some media houses who do their bidding. Here are 10 individuals that Ugandan media fears to criticize.
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Anita Among
Among is one of the most powerful politicians in the country which makes her to be widely feared by the media. Many parliamentary reporters worship the ground on which she walks. Any media house that wants to get a slice of parliament’s advertising budget has to be in her good books. There is a TV station in this country where any story about her must be vetted by senior management before it is aired. Some organizations that have done critical stories on Among or Parliament have had to suffer the consequences. She is “Mrs. Untouchable”.
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba
The Chief of Defence Forces wields a lot of power for obvious reasons. He is the son of the president. Therefore, media houses are careful about how they cover him. He usually works through proxies and in almost every newsroom, he has someone who keeps a grip on things. A story is told about a media owner who had declined to attend one of the general’s birthday parties in 2022 for fear of being seen as partisan. Muhoozi’s agents told him he risked losing business because of this stance. The media owner reluctantly showed up for the bash in Entebbe and made sure Muhoozi saw him. That’s
Pius Bigirimana
The Permanent Secretary to the Judiciary is another person that media organizations fear to criticize. He controls a substantial advertising budget and has a knack for suing media organizations. Last year, Daily Monitor coughed Shs 430 million for a critical article it wrote on Bigirimana when he was PS in the Office of the Prime Minister. To win Bigirimana’s favour, you have to cover him positively.
Uzeiye Hadijah Namyalo
Namyalo, the head of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) may appear reserved but she is tough and powerful. She is one of President Museveni’s blue-eyed girls making her very influential. To work with her, you must sing her praises. Journalists who have written unflattering articles about her or President Museveni have fallen out with her. They can’t even access the ONC office in Kyambogo. Namyalo controls a financial war chest that keeps her praise singers happy.
Sudhir Ruparelia
The business tycoon was the first businessman to perfect the formula on how to keep the local media on your side. Since the 1990s, Sudhir’s firms have been some of the biggest advertisers across all media platforms. He was also the first to recognize the power of online news portals and moved quickly to keep them under check. In his relationship with the local media, Sudhir’s condition is simple: write good/positive stories about me or my firms and I will keep the cash tap flowing. Do otherwise and I will shut the door. Only headstrong journalists write critically about Sudhir in this country.
Hamis Kiggundu
The young businessman has an army of social media influencers who will try to shut down whoever criticizes him. He also has a network of journalists in virtually all leading media organizations who ensure that only positive stories are written about him. Some of these follow him around like flies. His security detail is notorious for intimidating and beating journalists. We hear the journalists on his payroll are well compensated well.
Lawrence Mulindwa
Mulindwa, the director of St Mary’s SS in Kitende has several journalists under his wrap. Some of these started by writing positively about FUFA when he was president. They also used to hype his school during the release of national examinations. Mulindwa has contributed to weddings, house construction and private projects of some of these journalists. However, Mulindwa is also the kind of person who falls out easily with journalists over the flimsiest of reasons. Those who deal with him are always on tenterhooks.
Pastor Robert Kayanja
Kayanja has a strong network of journalists in all major media houses. The influential pastor is so careful about his external image that he will do anything to garner a positive portrayal in the media. That is why the coverage of his court cases is a highly choreographed affair. He leaves nothing to chance. In turn, he generously provides for journalists in his circle.
Patrick Bitature
The businessman also likes to have control of what is written about him. He is friends with many media owners and managers who eat out of his palms. Bitature also occasionally uses his lawyers and some prominent business journalists to get favourable coverage in the media. Many critical stories about him and his companies never see the light of day. He works covertly but effectively.
Emmanuel Katongole
Katongole of the Quality Chemicals fame and a prominent Rotarian is another person who quietly controls the media. He is not the abrasive in-your-face type but he is influential in media circles. A story is told about a media organization that was in the process of writing a critical story about him. The journalist had typed his draft and saved it on the computer. Then a colleague requested to use the computer to check something. When time came to hand in the story, it was nowhere on the computer. It has vanished. That is him.
