{UAH} NRM courts parliamentary scribes ahead of 2016 polls-call it bribing poor scribes
|
12:47 PM |
No comments |
The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has embarked on an aggressive media campaign apparently aimed at ensuring favourable treatment in the media ahead of the 2016 elections.
The initiative is jointly coordinated by Information and National Guidance Minister Rosemary Namayanja Nsereko and government Chief Whip Justine Kasule Lumumba. It was launched by Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi three months ago, with journalists that cover Parliament as the prime targets.
Since then, the chief whip's office has agreed terms with the leadership of the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA), to hold quarterly meetings during which journalists and government officials review their relations and iron out any problems.
Strategy
At the most recent meeting held on September 17 at Imperial Royale hotel, the Chief Whip's office spent at least Shs 10m on the journalists, with a spontaneous breakfast and Shs 100,000 each in allowances for attending the two-hour meeting.
Following the first meeting in June, the UPPA leaders immediately started a savings and credit cooperative (Sacco) with a promise of funding from the Prime Minister. It remains unclear how much Mbabazi has offered to inject in the Sacco. But Lumumba announced that the Sacco would receive some funding under her office budget, although the amount was not specified.
"We have discussed it and I can assure you that the proposal for us to put something in the Sacco has been approved. I hope that by our next quarterly meeting we will have done something," Lumumba told the journalists.
This was after Political Mobilization Minister Richard Todwong made an instant contribution of Shs 1m. In October, the journalists will be taken for a retreat at a location that is yet to become public but most voices point to the National Leadership Institute Kyankwanzi.
Upbeat
This financial year, the chief whip's office was allocated more than Shs 3bn, of which Shs 94m was allocated to advertising and public relations, plus another Shs 140m for workshops and seminars.
During last week's meeting, Lumumba expressed gratitude that the first engagement had paid dividends.
"I can assure you that we are happy that since our first engagement, our visibility in the media has increased, and the performance of our members has also improved. You must have realized that even the quality of their contributions in the House has also improved," Lumumba said.
In June, Lumumba complained about the 'poor' coverage of NRM activities, wondering why journalists picked a lot of interest in the party's caucus meetings and put nothing in the news from the opposition caucus.
"The impression you create is that every time we meet in caucus is as if we are up to some mischief," Lumumba then complained.
During the meeting, the government announced an ambitious media drive; Namayanja said her ministry would create media teams composed of MPs and ministers who can ably speak for the party on radio and TV talk shows.
newseditor@observer.ug
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
0 comments:
Post a Comment