• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Captain Babu to UCC’s Mutabazi: Do not tell us how to run our companies

Elisha Z. Bwanika by Elisha Z. Bwanika
6 years ago
in National, News
80 6
ShareTweetSendShare

Seasoned aviator and former chairman of National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Capt. Francis Babu, has blasted Uganda Communications Commission and its executive director for trying to gag the media in the country.

Babu, who was speaking during a meeting called by Eng. Godfrey Mutabazi over a directive to suspend at least 39 journalists for allegedly violating broadcasting standards, said time had come for media owners to tell Mutabazi the truth.

Last week UCC ordered seven radio stations and six TV stations to suspend their top editors and producers for alleged violation of minimum broadcasting standards during recent protests over the arrest and detention of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

“You handled this case extremely shabbily this time. You could have handled it in a better way. It has gone out, internationally we are ashamed,” Babu told Mutabazi at the Tuesday meeting in Kampala.

“Yesterday I heard Citizen (TV) talking about us in Kenya, I was disgusted. I heard members of Parliament insulting you, I was annoyed. I heard people saying all sorts of things. It’s the way you handled it. You could have handled it better. We could have listened to you.”

The former pilot continued: “And this habit has started here, you like going to newspapers and intimidate us. And that is something I do not like. You should talk to us, we listen. And we are as good as you are. We like this industry. I want you to imagine something. When we stop listening to our radios here and listen to BBC because they will tell us what was going on, are you going to regulate them seeing the kind of rubbish they are putting on?”

At this point, the now cornered Mutabazi asked Captain Babu to ‘kindly stick to the issue.’

To which he responded “I am sticking to the issue. This is where the problem is. You don’t want us to talk to you. You come here and you gag us. Let’s talk to you. Listen. Do not gag us. Every time we come here you gag us.  You want your point to be heard yet you don’t want to listen to us.”

Mutabazi also suggested that he would discipline Babu if he continues talking to him the way he was doing.

“You to discipline me?” Babu asked.

“You? Mr Mutabazi to discipline me? Why? Because I have come here and spoken the truth? Why should you discipline me? You want to discipline me, at my age? No. No. No. Mr Mutabazi, time has come for us to tell you the truth. We want to work with you but you must work with us and don’t disrespect us.”

Seeing that tempers had flared, current NAB boss Kin Kariisa asked Capt. Babu to follow the rules of the meeting.

“The tempers are flaring because we have been mistreated. If we were being treated well, I wouldn’t be speaking this way. I respect him as a regulator but I am not happy. I am not going to see UCC run our companies. He is meant to regulate not run them. But if you don’t want me to talk, Mr Karisa and you have joined him, fine,” he said before sitting down.

This is not the first time captain Babu has had a falling out with UCC.

In 2012, as NAB boss, Babu said he would oppose a Bill which could arm the State with legal powers to influence aired content.

“Anything to do with restrictions and management of content, we shall not accept,” he said then.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share17Tweet11SendShare

Related Posts

Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto
News

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54
News

New business lounge commissioned at Entebbe International Airport

4th July 2025 at 16:40
News

Jinja Hospital Boss Dr. Yayi Calls for Improved Maternal and Child Health Services To Curb Birth Asphyxia

4th July 2025 at 16:36
Next Post

I am very sure Museveni cannot win an election - Andrew Mwenda

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1109 shares
    Share 444 Tweet 277
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2286 shares
    Share 914 Tweet 572
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    27 shares
    Share 11 Tweet 7
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    43 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    119 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Hon. Raphael Magyezi

Yara East Africa and Asili Agriculture Launch Agri-Hub in Kiryandongo to Advance Farmer Knowledge and Food Security in Uganda

4th July 2025 at 19:06
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0
Hon. Raphael Magyezi

Yara East Africa and Asili Agriculture Launch Agri-Hub in Kiryandongo to Advance Farmer Knowledge and Food Security in Uganda

4th July 2025 at 19:06
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda