UJA, Partners unveil activities to mark the 3rd May World Press Freedom Day
Drake Nyamugabwa
Uganda Journalists umbrella body, the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) in conjunction with the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Media (UPFM) unveiled a series of activities organized to commemorate the annual World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) come May 3rd.
The activities organized by UJA included; UJA Media Football Gala to be held on 1st May at Philip Omond- KCCA Stadium-Lugogo-Kampala, National Tree Planting under the environmental conservation program to address the increased environmental degradation, Mass Prayers for victimized journalists while in the line of, Face Lifting Camps, Courtesy Visits to the victimized journalists and UJA- Reunion Dinner meeting at the climax on May 3rd in Kampala.
The UPFM was represented by its chairperson Hon. Teddy Nambooze-Woman MP for Mpigi District, while UJA team members by president Mathias Rukundo, Emmanuel Kirunda Secretary General, Abby Ramadhan, Secretary for Production, Ronald Kabuye Secretary for publicity and Daniel Mumbere Deputy Secretary for Publicity.
Other UJA select Committee members included Joseph Kwizera- chairperson for organizing Committee for the football Gala,Phiphi Da Queen, to mention but afew.
The UPFM chairperson used the joint press conference which was held at the Speke Hotel-Kampala to announce the 5 point program including among others, response to the welfare challenges between journalists and media house owners which shall help the Forum to provide advocacy against the plight of the journalists.
During the WPFD event, the UPFM pledged full support to UJA, calling on journalists and all media practitioners to fully participate.
UJA president Mathias Rukundo above said the unveiled activities will go a long way in redefining UJA.
2022 WPFD will be commemorated under the theme; "Journalism under Surveillance".
Meanwhile Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) and Uganda Parliament Forum on Media (UPFM) have embarked on an initiative to set up a legal fund worth 100 million to hire good lawyers and to handle on-going cases of journalists’ rights violation.
Hon Teddy said “We have established a legal team for receiving and working on all cases of infringement on the rights of the Journalists without any cost charged, we have discovered that many Journalists who have faced the wrath of errant security operatives and individuals have given up on various cases prematurely due to heavy costs of legal services in Uganda”
