Uganda's radio closure condemned
By Anthony Makokha & Agencies ( Saturday, August 13, 2005)
The closure of a Ugandan radio station has been condemned by opposition politicians and media groups.
Politician James Otieno told the BBC the move was "unacceptable", while the Uganda Journalist Association said the government had exceeded its powers.
KFM was closed after it aired a heated debate on the possible causes of the helicopter crash which killed Sudanese Vice-President John Garang.
Uganda's president had warned the media not to report speculation on the crash.
Mr Garang was travelling in the Ugandan helicopter when it crashed taking him back to Sudan after meeting Mr Museveni.
Information Minister Nsaba Buturo said KFM's licence had been suspended because of a programme that did not meet Uganda's broadcasting standards.
Any newspaper which plays around with regional security , I will not tolerate it. I will just simply close it, finish, the end.
He denied the closure was an attack on press freedom. "Freedom without responsibility is dangerous to a young democracy such as ours," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
But the Uganda Journalist Association (UJA) said the Broadcasting Council did not have the powers to close KFM.
"The action is not part of the functions of the council under the law as its mandate is to arbitrate and resolve disputes anybody has with the electronic media," said UJA Secretary General Haruna Kanaabi.
Mr Otieno said the decision showed that Mr Museveni was intimidating the media at a time when Ugandans wanted more political freedom.
"People have a right to question," said Mr Otieno - who is based in London and a member of the former ruling Uganda People's Congress.
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