Press Freedom Day awakens Makerere University Journalism and Communication Association (MUJCA).

KAMPALA - Students at the Department of Journalism and Communication (DJC), Makerere University join the global community to celebrate World Press Freedom Day, 2019.

The Press Freedom Day came at a time when journalism and communication students resolved to revive Makerere University Journalism and Communication Students Association (MUJCA), and the event provided an opportunity for the students to start student activities.

A group of students joined the procession that started at Railway Grounds along Jinja Road to celebrate annual World Press Freedom Day, commemorated every 3^rd May to promote freedom of expression and independent media without interference from the state.

“Freedom of the press is the freedom for every citizen to freely express themselves on key issues that concern them,” said Adolf Mbaine, the patron MUJCA.

He adds that the World Press Freedom Day is especially important now with the rampant violations of media freedom in Uganda and the region, encouraging students to actively engage in protecting freedom of expression which is the cornerstone of every democratic state.

This comes at a time when Uganda is experiencing shrinking media space due to increasing police and army brutality on journalists and tenacious government appetite to gag the media, a tendency that Dr. Wakabi Wairagala from Tanzania attributes to authoritarian states.

Dr. Wakabi presented a keynote address at a public dialogue at Golf Course Hotel after the media freedom walk. He expressed fear of regression on media freedoms in the region evident in the latest rankings by Reporters Without Borders, where Uganda has again dropped on Global Press Freedom Index from 117^th position to 125^th out of 180 countries considered.

The theme of this year’s 26^th World Press Freedom Day was “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”. The procession and public dialogue on media at Golf Course Hotel was among others organized by African Centre For Media Excellence (ACME), Uganda Journalists Association and Human Rights Network for Journalists - Uganda.

Apollo Kakaire from ACME was mesmerized by the passion shown by Makerere University students in celebrating this important day, commending MUJCA for mobilizing students for the occasion.

“We like working with young people and we support them in their professional development, we are looking forward to more engagements with students,” Kakaire said.