Two Journalists in Uganda Kidnapped

Herbert Mugagga, one of the two journalists

Striking workers of Sugar Corporation kidnapped two journalists and took them hostage for a number of  hours. Herbert Mugagga, a reporter with KFM and Moses Mawejje of Radio Simba were grabbed and beaten by angry workers who had hidden in the sugar plantation while they were riding on a motorcycle. The motorcycle was also impounded from them and "kept" by the workers. Tension gripped the other journalists who work with the two after a number of efforts to get a word from them while in the middle of the sugar plantation were futile.However, they were later released after pleading with them and producing identity that they were journalists because the workers mistook them for spies sent by their employers.I spoke to Herbert [pictured] and he said that he had sustained a few injuries but was still recovering the shock narrating that the strikers were armed with matchets and sticks which they used against them.

Scrapped Sedition Law Trailer

Jubilation is everywhere in Uganda following the Constitutional Court scrapping the law on sedition from the Penal Code.Sedition is where a person utters or publishes statements aimed at bringing hatred, contempt or disaffection against the President, the Government or the Judiciary. Reactions come from different angles giving different opinions. I trailed them to give you, my readers, a variety of reactions. First we look at the journalist who challenged this law in court and the story was published in the Independent, a paper he owns and it is found on this link.http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/component/content/article/106-myblog/3389-court-scrapes-law-on-sedition. The daily Monitor, another daily in Uganda had the story covered this way http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/996520/-/x4iyiu/-/index.html
After the ruling, media reports continued and it was pointed out that government was planning to appeal. The Monitor again covered the story of government appealing as follows:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/997784/-/x4jpkd/-/index.html
However, the institution mostly affected by this is the media. When media practitioners learn't of  Government's intentions of appealing, they did not hold their peace and reacted back in one of the stories which is found herehttp://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/999480/-/x4l1u8/-/index.html
Journalists rights bodies also joined in the mixed celebration. Among them was the Human Rights Network for Journalists whose coverage of the issue appeared in the story on this link.http://hrnjuganda.blogspot.com/. This is not all that was covered. however, it is what i have manged to access. I call upon all media practitioners to add their voices to that of the civil society in ensuring that we enjoy our freedom of expression.

Dlicious: A better tool for journalists

Photo by Terri Goodwin on Flickr

I was introduced to a web tool that i found very resourceful especially for journalists. http://www.delicious.com/ is the site where you can add your bookmarks and also find other professionals who have added bookmarks there. To me this is a very good tool especially in giving a story context where you can trace the other events that have taken place on the same issue as well as find a number of writings already done on the same subject you are working on. It is also a very resourceful tool. Thank you Robert Freeman and Thomson Reuters Foundation for the skill.

"Killer phone calls" scare Kenyans

Armageddon Sky By Jayson on Flickr

Tension gripped residents in Nairobi after a rumor that  a number of people had died after receiving strange calls from strange identities. Some people completely switched off their phones in order to avoid getting such calls which some how paralyzed business. However, when the media thoroughly investigated the matter, it was found out that no one had even died yet business in the whole area was on a stand still. The rumors went further to state that when especially a hidden ID call comes to your phone and you receive the call, you receive mental disorders thereafter and eventually die. Some of the numbers were associated with colors with claims that the numbers appeared on their screens in red and blue. Strange. It reminded of the rumor in Uganda that the angel of death was going to pay a visit. Save us from some of those crazy threats.