In an unprecedented move, The Daily Monitor today left its front page blank, a repudiation of President Museveni’s state of the nation address yesterday.
The imagery seems to suggest that in Monitor’s judgement, Museveni’s speech did not highlight the key issues affecting Ugandans.
In its lead story of yesterday, the newspaper had highlighted what they termed as the real state of the nation pointing out the good, bad and ugly of public service delivery.
In today’s small write up accompanying the blank page, the editor wrote: “…Side-stepping key public concerns about crime and social services, the Head of State tells Ugandans to keep calm, carry on working and watch out for talking cows.”
Museveni yesterday dedicated part of his speech to attacking and praising the Daily Monitor.
The president said Monitor is an agent of foreign interests but at the same time praised it for a story on how Ugandans were turning to locally made products.
Many Ugandans on social media praised Daily Monitor for its action. Others however feared that the state may come down hard on them.
A one Herbert wrote: “What a beautiful cover page! Thanks for taking on the revolution our favorite “bad news paper”.
Al-Bashiru thanked Daily Monitor for the reports and updates.
But Ratif Ssemujju wrote: “I bet this publication will be closed once again like in history.”
In its 32 years of existence, Daily Monitor has been closed twice.
First in 2002 when it reported that an army chopper had been shot down by LRA rebels and in 2013 when it published a letter by Gen David Sejusa alleging that there was a plot by President Museveni to impose his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Ugandans.
