Hearing of an interim injunction application in which the Uganda Journalist Association (UJA) seeks court to halt a directive by Uganda Communications Commission- UCC to media houses to suspend 39 journalists, has failed to take -off today before the High court.
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) lawyer Abudl -Salaam Waiswa asked for more time to adequately respond to UJA's application that was filed and served to his client yesterday.
According to Waiswa, the only available response on court file was that in a case where 2 lawyers sued UCC for similar orders.
However after a brief meeting between the 2 lawyers at court, it was agreed that the 2 cases should be consolidated since the petitioners have a common interest.
Waiswa has however refused to agree to the issuance of a formal temporary injunction that commits UCC to a resolution made yesterday to Media owners that the 39 journalists should just step a side but not be suspended .
This has prompted justice Lydia Mugambe to set 15th /May as a date to hear the interim injunction that UJA seeks .
UJA a professional body that brings journalists together and fights for their professional rights
In its application filed yesterday before the High Court in Kampala UJA sought a temporary injunction restraining the directive of UCC of suspending the producers, editors and heads of progrmme from 13 media houses before the main case challenging the same is heard.
In its main case the journalist’s body is challenging UCC’ disproportionate, excessive, unconstitutional and arbitrary exercise of its statutory powers, violation of media freedom, freedom of speech and expression, human rights of media workers.
UJA avers that UCC threatens to usurp the powers vested in the media council through its directive that the 13 media houses should within three days submit to the commission the names, particulars and qualifications of the producers, editors and head of programs for investigation over breach of minimum broadcasting standards.
Last week two lawyers, Ronald Bwire and Henry Byansi petitioned the same court accusing UCC of targeting media stations of airing content, especially live broadcasts of breaking news in a manner likely to mislead or cause alarm to the public.
The petitioners also want court to check UCC’s excessive powers against the media in order to ensure respect of media freedom and adherence to the rule of law and constitutionalism by other government agencies.
The media houses affected include; Radio Simba Akaboozi FM,BBS TV,Beat FM, Bukedde tv,Capital FM, CBS FM, Kingdom TV, NBS TV, NTV, Peal FM, Salt TV, Sapientia FM .