The Highcourt has set this week on Thursday 14th/January ( the gazetted National polling day ) to deliver a ruling in a case filed by Editors challenging a decision by the Media council to accredit journalists for coverage of this year’s National elections and other state functions.
Justice Esta Nambayo has communicated the date this morning adding that she will give her decision via e-mail in which both National and foreign journalists will know their fate regarding coverage of the presidential and parliamentary elections .
This comes after the judge has this morning met the Editors’ lawyer Francis Gimara and the attorney General representative Geoffrey Madette whom she ordered to file written submissions by Wednesday afternoon.
The case rose as Editors in Uganda through their umbrella body, Editors Guild Ltd and Centre for Public Interest Law sued the Attorney General while questioning the December 10th(2020) directive by the Media council to have all journalists who are going to cover this year’s National Elections accredited by December 31st .
This prompted the Editors led by their interim chairperson Daniel Kalinaki to take on the Media council which they accuse of lacking the mandate to accredit journalists as such powers are vested in the now dysfunctional National Institute of Journalists (NIJU).
These therefore contend that it was wrong and irrational for the Media council to issue such directives as its role is limited to licensing practising Editors .
The Editors further question the constitutionality of the Media council to issue directives which they say lacks the requisite quorum of seven members to perform its duties and as such ; court should restrain police and the Electoral commission to enforce the illegal directive.
The Editors still argue that the said accreditation if upheld , it will not only limit their capacity to assign reporters who are fit and competent to cover particular events but it will also open the floodgates of security brutality towards journalists and hence the need to trim on the powers of Media council.
In a related development , the Electoral Commission has since resolved that journalists should be allowed to access polling centres upon presentation of their work Identification cards.
