CBS staff defend radio on Buganda riots

The employees of the closed Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) radio station have argued that the station was only used to mobilise people to attend the function of the Kabaka of Buganda in Kayunga, but not to cause violence.

This was in the staff’s response to the counter-claim filed by the Attorney General (AG) in a suit filed against the Government over the closure of CBS last September.

In the counter-claim, the AG wanted the radio station to pay damages to the Government for the loss of life and property suffered during the September 2009 riots. The riots erupted when the Kabaka was stopped from visiting Kayunga.

Represented by Katende, Ssempebwa and Company Advocates, the plaintiffs argue that the radio never incited the public to riot or cause ethnic tension as the AG claims.

It always mobilised Baganda and other well-wishers to attend the Kabaka’s functions and visits to his traditional subjects in all parts of Buganda as the Constitution, the employees said.

It is further argued that by the time the radio mobilised the people to visit Kayunga, the Government had not banned the Kabaka from visiting the region.

They also argue that as soon as the Government banned the Kabaka from visiting Kayunga, the radio station stopped mobilising citizens to attend, and the Broadcasting Council immediately closed the station.

The plaintiffs also contend that the chaos erupted because of barring of the Katikkiro of Buganda from proceeding to Kayunga and not from the actions of the radio station as the Government alleges.

The station’s staff contend that their radio was taken off air and licence withdrawn on the orders of the Minister of Information, but because that they incited violence among the public.

They also argue that the terms and conditions that were imposed before the broadcasting licence was granted to the radio station by the council were outrageous and do not conform to the electronic media Act. The Act forbids the prevention of the broadcasting of programmes on account of their contents.

-March 9, 2010 by Hillary Nsambu

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Source: www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/712420 (accessed on 10.03.10)