Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has cautioned new journalists accredited to cover the 10th parliament to desist from identifying with particular legislators.
She was addressing newly accredited parliamentary journalists this morning in a two-day training. The journalists were accredited after parliament expelled journalists without degrees and those who have covered the house for more than five years.
Last year, Chris Obore, the director of information at parliament issued guidelines requiring all journalists deployed to cover the house to be holders of mass communication degrees or its equivalent.
The guidelines drew angry reactions from the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association, the umbrella body of journalists covering the house. UPPA dragged the Parliamentary Commission to court seeking for orders to stay enforcement of the guidelines. The matter has never been resolved.
Speaking in reference to this particular incident, Kadaga reminded journalists that parliament has a right to admit or expel stranger from the house.
"You are not members of parliament, you are not staff, you are strangers and you are here at the will of the institution, I want this to be clear because it has been understood, you are here at the will of the House, people who are invited here don't pay rent but take the speaker to court", said Kadaga.
Kadaga also told journalists that she is the land lord of Parliament as an institution and that journalists have no tenancy agreements and cannot insist on being in parliament.
"I want to see the journalists go to State House and insist on staying in one of the rooms or the high court, it is only here that we have treated like something you cannot describe", she added.
Kadaga tipped journalists to always be on guard against being manipulated by politicians especially when reporting issues on parliamentary proceedings which are protected by privilege.
"MPs can say anything during debate without any fear of legal redress because they have parliamentary immunity, but that doesn't mean what they have said is correct," she said.
She tasked journalists to familiarize themselves with the working of committees, saying they perform a delegated function for the plenary.
"Their activities are works in progress but decisions have to be made in plenary," she said. Kadaga told the journalists that parliamentary reporting requires discipline, and ability to work long irregular hours and a mind to sit through large quantities of information.
She also urged them to keep public interest at the back of their minds without misrepresenting parliament and its committees.
"Party sympathies and all forms of bigotry must be guided and journalists must remain guided by the public interest", she said.
Source