• 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

LEONARD KAMUGISHA AKIDA: Broken Press, Broken Voices: Journalists Must Unite or Perish

Watchdog Uganda by Watchdog Uganda
4 months ago
in Conversations with, Op-Ed
1 0
ShareTweetSendShare

It is deeply unfortunate that when a journalist from a rising media house is brutally beaten or arbitrarily arrested by security forces, we tend to remain silent, pretending as if nothing significant has happened. Yet, when the same happens to journalists from mainstream media organizations, the so-called “Big Brands” the entire nation is shaken.

Take the case of Top TV journalist Miracle Ibrah, who was brutally assaulted by JAT officers while covering the Kawempe North by-election nomination exercise, as security cracked down on National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters. His left eye was shattered, nearly costing him his vision. Yet, NBS TV and NTV, gave him less than 15 seconds of coverage in their news bulletins. Shockingly, instead of solidarity, some individual journalists mocked him on social media, dismissing him because he worked for what they called a “fake pastor’s media house” one allegedly notorious for delayed salary payments.

There is nothing wrong with exposing employers who exploit workers, but that moment when a journalist was between life and death was not the time for such criticism. There are legal avenues for addressing labor injustices, including recognized labor unions and constitutional provisions in the Employment Act.

We often hear of divisions among journalists based on their employers. Media House X fighting with Media House Y, reporters gossiping about and undermining one another. This unprofessionalism stretches from content and performance down to individual rivalries. The disunity is real. Teamwork among journalists died long ago, and not even prayers can resurrect it, not even the Jesus-Lazarus way.

Journalists are being used to fight personal battles on behalf of their bosses. In faith-based media organizations, for instance, if a pastor who owns a media house dislikes another pastor who runs a different media house, his journalists automatically become pawns in that rivalry.

The division extends further to who is “better” in the media, who has been in the industry longer, and who deserves more recognition. The seniors refuse to listen because they believe they know it all, while the juniors have developed an “I don’t care” attitude. It’s a toxic cycle that shows no sign of ending.

This reminds me of Martin Niemöller, the Lutheran pastor in Nazi Germany, who initially supported Nazi ideas, until Hitler rose to power and he realized his mistake. He later reflected on his silence in this famous postwar statement:

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Today, Big Brand journalists believe that junior or freelance journalists are responsible for the industry’s challenges. Nobody sympathizes with them even when they are beaten, arrested, or dehumanized. The veterans treat rising journalists the same way, and the cycle continues. But until they come for you, you won’t realize that we are all in the same boat.

The media is increasingly divided and discordant, and the State is actively fueling these divisions. The government uses propaganda and misinformation to keep journalists fragmented. Some media houses sell their space and airtime to silence critical stories, ensuring that dissenting voices remain unheard. Meanwhile, online journalists are dismissed as “quacks” and “masqueraders,” even though many are trained professionals who either couldn’t break into the “Big Brands” or chose to build their own platforms.

But should we continue to be victims of these injustices? Absolutely not!

The divide-and-conquer strategy has been oppressive for too long. It is time for journalists to think collectively, set aside personal and organizational differences, and build a united industry, one founded on love, empathy, and solidarity rather than competition, seniority, or employer allegiances.

Doesn’t the Bible and Qur’an remind us that a divided nation cannot win a war? If the media industry remains divided, how can we stand against military brutality targeting our colleagues? Young journalists and smaller media houses continue to suffer at the hands of the big brands, just as Martin Niemöller warned, silence is complicity.

The only way forward is to build solidarity, work together, take a stand, and even boycott covering security and government events if necessary. Without unity and resistance, we will remain victims of state persecution one by one, until there’s no one left to speak out.

The writer is a Ugandan journalist, Media Trainer and Founder Parrots Media.
Email: info@parrotsug.com


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

Related Posts

Bwanika Joseph
Op-Ed

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36
Dr. Ayub Mukisa (Ph.D.)
Conversations with

Dr. Ayub Mukisa: For Parish Development Model to have impact in Karamoja, Government needs to partner with NGOs

4th July 2025 at 09:10
Ms Irene Naikaali Ssentongo,Country Director, 
The Hunger Project – Uganda
Conversations with

OP-ED: Epicenters of progress, accelerating the Parish Development Model

3rd July 2025 at 20:10
Next Post
Dr. Ronald Katureebe

Eczema: A huge skin pain to families

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1111 shares
    Share 444 Tweet 278
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    34 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2286 shares
    Share 914 Tweet 572
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    44 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    120 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

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

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

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

© 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