Live feed ban after fights in parliament
FISTFIGHTS in parliament have led Uganda to ban live broadcasts of events “inciting the public”, according to a notice from its communications regulator.
The fights broke out in parliament on Tuesday between lawmakers opposing plans to change laws and extend President Yoweri Museveni’s rule and those in favour.
The lawmakers threw punches, hurled chairs and shoved and banged on benches.
Uganda’s two major privately owned TV stations, including a local unit of Kenya’s Nation Media Group, and some radio stations carried proceedings live.
The Uganda Communications Commission said in a notice yesterday that radio and television stations should stop live broadcasts of events that “are inciting the public, discriminating, stirring up hatred, promoting a culture of violence . . . and are likely to create public insecurity”.
A commission executive, Godfrey Mutabazi, said it was sent to all broadcast media yesterday morning.
Critics say the action underscores a crackdown in the East African country against anyone questioning a planned constitutional amendment.
Under the existing constitution, eligibility to stand as a presidential candidate has an age ceiling of 75 years.
That makes Museveni, 73, in power for more than three decades, unqualified to seek reelection at the next polls in 2021.
Removing the age cap would clear that hurdle.
The proposal to change the constitution has met widespread opposition from rights activists, the political opposition, religious leaders and from some members of Museveni’s own ruling party.
Since last week, when a motion to kick-start the amendment process was supposed to be read but never made it to the floor, both police and military personnel have been deployed around parliament and many parts of the capital, Kampala.
Protests by students and opposition activists and supporters in Kampala against the legislative measure have been put down with teargas and the arrest of scores.