{UAH} UCC blocks Mirundi from TV, radio

UCC blocks Mirundi from TV, radio

Kampala. Mr Tamale Mirundi's budding career as a political pundit might come to a premature end after the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered broadcasters to stop hosting the motor–mouthed former presidential press secretary.

The regulator says Mr Tamale, who was retained as an adviser after leaving his State House position, uses abusive language, which is against the law, and has threatened to revoke the broadcasting licences of stations that host him.
"The commission, therefore, directs you to stop broadcasting such programmes with immediate effect," Mr Godfrey Mutabazi, the head of UCC, said in a November 30, statement. It was addressed to Star, Top, Pearl, Alpha and Impact radio stations as well as Star, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation – the public broadcaster, ABS and Nile Broadcasting Services television stations, which routinely host Mr Mirundi.

Abusive language
UCC acting director broadcasting Fred Otunu said the stations have been "perpetuating abusive language". "We felt their programmes should either be changed or removed because the language was very abusive and not right," Mr Otunnu said.

Reached for comment, Mr Mirundi, typically saw little merit in the UCC threat.
"That is rubbish," he said. "I am an adviser to the President." Mr Mutabazi said UCC has received complaints about Mr Mirundi's on-air utterances but did not give details.

Mr Mirundi's sharp tongue has inspired a stand-up comedy character and internet memes of famous quotes, albeit not always his.

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H.OGWAPITI
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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that  we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic  and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt

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