By Editorial,
The National Association of Broadcasters has refused to comply with a directive from the Uganda Communications Commission to broadcast a message promoting the National Population and Housing Census 2024, citing a lack of budgetary provisions.
In a statement, released on May 7th signed by Joyce Kasirye on behalf of the executive director, broadcasters were instructed to air the message between May 8-20, following the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance guidelines for free government airtime.
The Commission also reminded broadcasters of their obligation to allocate time for coverage of national events and functions, as stipulated in Schedule 6: Conditions of a license in the Uganda Communications Act 2013.
However, National Association of Broadcasters Chairman Innocent Nahabwe, in a statement, expressed appreciation for the importance of the census but raised concerns about the funding for media coverage.
Mr. Nahabwe stressed that whereas broadcasters typically provide free coverage for national emergencies, they expect budgetary allocations for pre-planned events like the census. END