NAB Petitions Parliament on Adverts, Announces Boycott of Gov’t Activities

The Committee on ICT and National Guidance is to consider a petition by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) on the directive to have all government advertising carried on Uganda Broadcasting Corporation and New Vision platforms only.

In her communication on Thursday, 27 July 2023, Speaker Anita Among said she received the petition by NAB which she referred to the committee for scrutiny.

“The petition regards the government policy on business to private media houses where all the adverts are supposed to only be given to one media house,” said Among.

In a circular issued by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi on Monday, 10 July 2023, all government advertising must be through the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) and New Vision.

Private broadcasters, however, say the move blocks them from benefitting from government advertising, and have since announced a boycott of coverage of government activities until the directive is reversed.

In a related development, the Speaker also referred a petition from the Uganda Manufacturing Association (UMA) regarding the sugar sector, to the Committee on Trade.

“The petition regards the challenges affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the sugar sector mainly arising from regulatory weaknesses on the part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives,” Among said.

The tasks upon the committees are in line with Rules 30 (5) and (10) of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament.