NMG Ban Reveals Democracy's Collapse

  Key information: Every responsible citizen should care about media freedom. Civil society ceased to exist during our time when ...

 

Key information:

• Every responsible citizen should care about media freedom. Civil society ceased to exist during our time when the DGF was shut down, and if we let the press—the fourth estate—struggle to survive now, we risk failure as a country.

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In their renowned publication, TThe Elements of Journalism: What News Professionals Should Understand and What the Audience Should Demand, Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel provide compelling perspectives on the condition of media freedom and its contribution to democracy in communist Poland.

At that time, the Polish media was strictly controlled by the communist regime. However, a small number of reporters, scholars, and ordinary people started creating publications and clandestine newsletters—referred to as samizdat—which were distributed in secret, beyond the reach of the government.

When the Solidarity Movement (Solidarność), headed by Lech Wałęsa, arose in 1980, these underground journalists were essential in disseminating accurate details about strikes, demonstrations, and governmental misconduct. Even with censorship, detention, and dangers, they continued their efforts. Gradually, their efforts fostered a common understanding of truth among the population. Individuals started to recognize the misleading nature of propaganda. This confidence in unbiased information contributed to the activation of civil society and compelled the government to engage in reform discussions.

Kovach and Rosenstiel also recount the tale of a young woman who carried her small radio and took her dog for a walk each night—not because she liked the stroll, but to use it as a disguise while secretly tuning into her favorite 60-minute BBC program to find out what was truly occurring in her own country. These evening walks also enabled her to monitor the activities of the oppressive communist police who were targeting independent voices that challenged the state's media restrictions.

After the communist regime ultimately fell, Kovach noted that it was not tanks or weapons that initially undermined the dictatorship—it was the truth. The practice of engaging with an independent media outlet fostered an unseen network of individuals seeking the truth, who no longer accepted the official narrative. Independent media emerged as a key factor in Poland's shift towards democracy—not because reporters took positions, but because they brought back truth and responsibility into a system based on falsehoods.

Looking back on that time, Václav Havel stated, “Journalism serves democracy; it is about truth and civic engagement. Journalism aims to build a sense of community among the people that the government cannot manage.” The goal of journalism cannot be determined by the state, nor by journalists themselves, nor even by the tools they use. The values of journalism are shaped by something far more fundamental: the role that news has in people's lives. Journalism is to democracy as oxygen is to life.

In various parts of Africa, media freedom and the well-being of journalists have faced ongoing threats. In the last six years, cases of state violence have been widespread—such as in Ethiopia, where journalists were murdered for reporting on government abuses in Tigray, and in Zimbabwe, where reporters were imprisoned for revealing widespread corruption during the Covid-19 procurement process. In Sudan, after the military coup, soldiers raided Al Jazeera's offices, revoked broadcasting licenses, and detained several journalists.

In Uganda, the circumstances remain similar. The government has consistently tried to control its antagonism toward the media in order to project an image of democracy. However, the facade was exposed during the 2021 general elections, when reporters were violently attacked, detained, and had their devices taken—some suffering permanent harm. The attacks persisted through the Kayunga by-election and the recently concluded Kawempe by-election, where journalists faced brutality that had never been seen before.

Every media professional has experienced this attack. Some have been embarrassed into producing government propaganda, while others have left the field entirely. However, one trend is notable: the government's intentional targeting of the Nation Media Group Uganda. From the police and military raid on the Daily Monitor office in May 2013—where equipment was taken and reporters were prevented from entering—to the President's ongoing verbal assaults, labeling the press as a "bad paper" and "agent of imperialism," and his undemocratic choice to prevent their journalists from attending his events, the pattern has been evident.

Although there has been this consistent targeting, the government has repeatedly denied any misconduct, maintaining that it upholds media freedom, the rule of law, and democracy. However, in recent times, journalists from NMG have been prohibited from reporting on Parliament. This constitutes a clear breach of press freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Media freedom should be a priority for every responsible individual. Civil society effectively ceased to exist while we were watching as the DGF was shut down, and if we now permit the press—the fourth estate—to wither away, we are heading towards a bleak future as a nation. By restricting journalists' access to Parliament, we are withholding the information citizens require to make educated choices regarding their leadership. We are promoting governmental mediocrity by concealing its shortcomings.

       

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