The Electoral Commission (EC) Secretary who doubles as the accounting officer of the organization has asked online media outlets to use their extreme powers “responsibly and carefully.”
Short of that, their publications could ignite an electoral crisis in Uganda like what has been happening in across the world.
“Without your pens being in check, you know what is likely to happen,” Sam Rwakoojo warned on Monday while addressing members of Online Media Publishers Association at Africana Hotel.
The breakfast meeting convened by EC publicist Jotham Taremwa discussed the roles of media in organizing a free and fair election.
Although, Mr. Rwakoojo said, EC can’t deliver 100% free and fair election, he is optimistic that the organization using available resources can organize a fairer and “fraud- free” electoral process.
“But it also depends on how the media reports and how you bring out the information. How you say it can either make or break the country,” said Rwakoojo.
His closest example was 2007 Kenyan conflict that arose out of an electoral dispute between opposition leader Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki.
“We can’t have 100% perfect election but when we work together we can achieve 90%.”
On the swiftness in publishing news, Rwakoojo applauded the new media, “I think our papers are going to be taken out of business. By the time a newspaper is printed, all the juiciness in the story has been taken away by online media. So technology has taken over,” confessed Rwakoojo.
However, he challenged the owners of these outlets on curbing the rapid spread of fake news that is “killing the industry.”
