Office of the President

UGANDA MEDIA CENTRE

May 9, 2017

Ambassador Malac, Snowden finds more freedom in Russia.

Government of Uganda takes exception over a litany of negative
and non-factual or conjured accusations by the US Ambassador
Deborah Malac made on the 3rd May 2017. Her condescending and
rumbling statement exposed her bias as she sought to make Dr
Stella Nyanzi the only subject of the press freedom day although
Nyanzi doesn't qualify as a media person, and this isn't to suggest
that her rights to free expression shouldnt be respected within
realms of Ugandan laws.
By focusing on Nyanzi, Ambassador Malac showed she has not
bothered to understand the state of the media in Uganda. While
giving her thoughts during the World Press Day, Ambassador
Malac made over the board statements to the effect that the Uganda
government suffocates freedom of expression and harassing those
involved in the profession. Malac cited the case of Makerere
University lecturer Dr Stella Nyanzi, who was arrested and
charged before competent courts of law under the Computer
Misuse Act 2011, calling her the champion of free speech. Misuse
of computer and internet is a crime in Uganda, as well as many
jurisdictions around the world.

36 Nile Avenue, P.O. Box 2665, Kampala. Tel:256-41-237-141/3 256-312-261-525/6/7 Fax: 256-41-237-057 email: info@mediacentre.go.ug
Dr. Nyanzi is not being tried before a hastily established kangaroo
court. She is before a gazzetted Court and all the due processes of
the law are being followed. She is accessing her lawyers and
enjoying the liberties entitled to any suspect in Uganda.
Foremost, Uganda has values and ethics that form and define our
country which Ambassador Malac is at liberty to disagree with.
These values were further formulated into laws by our Parliament
and these need not be similar to those of the United States. As a
sovereign country we legislate for our citizens according to our
norms and not necessarily USA ideals or whims. I believe the US
has its values and code of conduct that govern her citizens as well.
Though Uganda continues to uphold freedom of expression as
guaranteed by our constitution, government shall apprehend and
prosecute those involved in suspected criminal transgressions in all
its forms. The Ambassador should note that her government to this
day continues to pursue and hunt Edward Snowden and Julian
Asange for alleged criminality inspite of their claims to protection
under US freedom of expression laws. The two are currently in
exile, Snowden in Russian, and Asange is holed up in the embassy
of Ecuador in the UK for close to a decade now. They fear they
cannot be afforded justice in USA. Clearly Snowden has found
more freedom in Russia, which Ambassador Malac doesn't find
odd as she praises her America.
Uganda has value systems and it is these systems that define us.
For example, can Ambassador Malac site at least one case in her
America where a university lecturer like Nyanzi has undressed to
nudity before her students as a form of civil protest?
For the record Uganda enjoys a great degree of media freedom and
freedom of expression, and continues to build on earlier successes
across all media and communication platforms.
Uganda hasn't reached that level and is unlikely to pursue that a
good model. We have over 300 radio stations, over 30 TV stations,
over 20 print media and a vibrant social media.
All these have no form of censorship and are free to criticize and
expose government excesses of all kinds. The courts of Uganda
have also ruled that the media is free to tell untruths. Uganda
government enjoys a robust and relatively good working
relationship with media and we shall continue to nurture this
relationship.
However we feel we have a duty to protect our citizens from
criminal behavior that endanger our people under the guise of
freedom of expression.

Ofwono Opondo
Executive Director