The security sector in Uganda is one of the most sensitive areas where one mistake can have big consequences. Therefore the men and women who speak for the various institutions within the sector must not only be well informed, they have to tread a fine line while communicating with the media and the public. From terror attacks to robberies, to accidents to immigration services, there is no room for error.
They have to withstand pressure from an eager public and answer questions from unrelenting journalists.
Today, we put the spotlight on these people who are the public faces of the institutions they speak for, highlighting the different styles they use to deliver information that could be crucial in saving lives or in averting crime.
Fred Enanga
Love or hate him, Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, is a gifted communicator. He is also a multi-linguist and his fluency of Luganda has won him many admirers in the central region. While addressing the media, Enanga is usually confident in his demeanor, at times cracking jokes even when talking about serious issues.
He likes using analogies, proverbs and similes to clarify some of the most unpleasant issues. For example when reporting about a defilement case in Luganda, he normally uses the terms Okujjula ebitayidde. He is a patient listener and usually puts journalists at ease with his responses.
Simon Mundeyi
Simon Mundeyi has just come to the limelight recently as spokesperson of the Immigration Department. He can be dramatic when explaining an issue. Like one journalist said, he is like a secondary school teacher who must first crack a joke to get the attention of his students.
He is usually at his best when talking about passport issues or illegal immigrants. He speaks about sensitive issues in a simple, non-threatening way which in many cases ensures that his points are well understood.
Col Deo Akiiki
Akiiki is an old hand when it comes to communicating with the public. The deputy spokesperson of the UPDF is can be aggressive if that is what it takes to make his point. He is down to earth and always precise. Unlike other communications officers, he always avoids moving around in circles preferring to hammer the nail on the head.
He responds readily when a journalist wants a quick comment on anything to do with UPDF activities. “Give me a minute and I will get back to you,” he often tells journalists looking for a quick comment to beat the deadline. Ten out of ten times, he calls back.
Luke Owoyesigyire
Owoyesigyire is the deputy spokesperson of Kampala Metropolitan Police. His surname is a handful for journalists and many can neither pronounce or spell it correctly.
But he is fast at giving updates and is one of the most approachable officers. He is usually at his best when giving updates on robberies and other petty crimes in Kampala. At times, he just faces the cameras and begins talking without reading from anywhere.
Michael Kananura
Kananura is also new in this field of public communications. He is the Public Relations officer, Traffic Police. He is simple and humble. Within the media fraternity he is known as Okuvuga Endima” which means to over speed because he likes using that word.
No press conference of his is complete unless he says that word. he also has a penchant of giving figures because they are central to the unit he speaks for. His Luganda may not be as good as Enanga’s but he gets the job done nonetheless.
Frank Baine
Baine, like Enanga, needs little introduction. He has been spokesperson for Uganda Prisons Services for so long that even some of the journalists who cover him today must have been toddlers when he became its mouthpiece. He is theatrical and dramatic.
He uses a lot of body gestures to make his point. Journalists who cover him are always in stiches, laughing at his jokes. He is good at anticipating questions at press conferences and fashioning quick responses. Baine is also known to give personal advice to journalists regarding career development.
Lt. Lauben Ndifula
Ndifula is the spokesperson Fisheries Protection Unit, one of the most loathed security outfits especially within the fishing communities. He is a constant presence in he media addressing issues to do with illegal fishing. He is a gifted communicator and likes to use the word Illuminati while referring to illegal fishing gear. He is also fluent in Luganda. His words have brought clarity to a sector beset by woes and conflicts. He can be defined as serious but humble without fear of contradiction.