By Arinda Nsheeka Wilfred
Media freedom, one of the gifts that the NRM government has presented to Uganda – has been misused and is yielding chaos in the country, according to the RDC Rubanda district, Hajj Badru Ssebyala.
“Uganda is suffering today because of media liberalization. Bobi Wine was natured by the NRM government and he has turned against it ” Ssebyala said.
Ssebyala was speaking after the Rubanda district Council sitting on Tuesday at the district headquarters.
He said this while referring to the current protests in the country, that have been triggered by the Kyadondo East MP, Hon Kyagulanyi robbert, aka Bobi Wine and others. The demonstrations have been massive in the past weeks mostly in the capital, Kampala under the slogan “people power”.
Ssebyala said that Kyagulanyi has lured the youth into demonstrations – which would result into problems for the country.
MP Kyagulanyi was allegedly tortured following his arrest in Arua district in the aftermath of the Arua municipality by elections. He was arrested for his alleged role in which the President’s motorcade was pelted with stones in the north western district.
He’s currently in the United States of America for treatment. His stay in the US has raised alarm on the sitting regime in Uganda – after his alleged torture attracted international media attention.
The sitting regime has accused Hon Kyagulanyi Robert of being used by foreign governments in a move to overthrow Uganda.
One of Kyagulanyi’s closest foreign friends who has been living in Uganda, Ms Jacqueline Wolfson was recently deported to the US for her alleged Financial support to Hon Kyagulanyi. She was running a charity organization in Uganda called Shule foundation.
We can’t allow media to bring down our country.
Ssebyala was quoted many times saying that media freedom in the country has been misused. He accused the media of failing to publish developmental ideas, and focusing on mostly protests.
“We can’t allow media to bring our country down. Even the US and Russia and most other developed countries, their media cannot report negative information about them ” he said.
He called upon the youth to use social media very well, by writing positive information about Uganda.
” You sell a bad Ugandan picture to foreigners – but you will remain Ugandans ” Ssebyala said.
He threatened that the media was lighting fire, but he warned that the fire would burn the media not the government in the long run.
He also warned the media against throwing Uganda into turmoil.
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