Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) executive director Godffrey Mutabazi has issued a last warning to all unregistered and unlicensed news publishing websites that they will be shutdown.
Mutabazi made the final call at the Annual Broadcasters Conference on Wednesday held at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.
He said the purpose of registering the news websites is to regulate fake news that as recently taken become a subject of concern by government of the public.
Most media houses are criticised for championing publication of fake news in a bid to rush to break news without confirming by authorities, this has ended up misleading, causing anxiety and stirring anger among members of the public.
Mutabazi told the conference that publishers of fake news have ended inciting violence with their untrue information.
“We have been given the mandate by government including the President that we take action against publishers of fake news,” said Mutabazi who reminded all online publishers who are believed to be the majority runners of fake news that they risk being closed shouldn’t they comply with UCC to register.
“This is the final call, all those online not registered with UCC will be closed immediately,” he said.
It should be noted that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has in the recent past been so critical of those who publish fake news to discredit government and its policies.
He has since authorised arrests of those believed to be behind fake news.
Mutabazi further expressed discontent to media practitioners who use their platforms to fight religious wars, attack their opponents and also spread harmful propanda.
The Annual Broadcasters Conference has been officially opened by ICT Minister Hon Frank Tumwebaze and attended by Electoral Commission Chairman (EC) Justice Simon Byamukama.
