The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has ordered Monitor Publications, the publishers of Daily Monitor to immediately suspend it’s online newspaper services for publishing a court case story against speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
Daily Monitor on the Feb 4, reported that Damian Akuze, a witchdoctor, had filed a suit in the Jinja High court against Kadaga.
Kadaga allegedly received the services of Akuze to boost her political career over 30 years ago but never paid the agreed fee
for the black magic services.
Kadaga strongly protested the allegations. She raised the complaint to the UCC accusing Daily monitor of spreading "fake " news.
In a letter written to the newspaper's managing director, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) launched investigations into the claims and it was found the newspaper's mother company, Monitor Publications Limited, had failed to register under data communications regulations introduced in 2018
The director to UCC, Godfrey Mutabazi further accused the newspaper of offering online news services illegally and directed suspension of the services provided by Daily Monitor.
Ugandans on Twitter have on Thursday reacted to the government’s move to shut
Uganda’s main independent newspaper the
Daily Monitor
‘s websites.
“So it was okay for them to run the site without a license until the Speaker complained?? Wow!” asked Ian Gumisizira on twitter
“6 years later @ UCC official realised that Monitor has an online version of its newspaper? Wow!” asked David Wozei
“Ugandans Justice and equity for all is important,” said Pamela Kamlega
“So a mere compliant leads to suspension of online newspaper with over 1m social media followers?,” asked Martha
“Only happens in Uganda! What’s the role of the courts?” questioned Moses Kintu
“Did they investigate before ordering the suspension?” asked Bonny Nkugwa
“Why doesn't the speaker take the monitor to court instead of UCC closing the publication or UCC now works for big shots in government alone?”@Robert Enongot
“You are doing a good job@ UCC official,” said Joseph
Recently, on Feb 5, Uganda's Tourism minister suggested showcasing curvy women in order to attract more visitors.
Godfrey Kiwanda described the plan at the launch of a plus-size pageant, Miss Curvy Uganda, in the country's capital Kampala.
Gesturing to the contestants, he said that full-figured women were "the story we sell" to visitors.
Mr Kiwanda's comments have been called "dehumanising" and "degrading", and a petition has been launched to get the plan - and the pageant - scrapped.
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