Joyce Namugambe
The Kingdom spokesperson Owekitiibwa Israel Kazibwe has met with the journalists covering Buganda kingdom under their group the Buganda team to discuss means on how he can work with them while executing their work for the good of the kingdom.
Owek Israel Kazibwe is the new Kingdom spokesperson person who was appointed by the King after the then Kingdom spokesperson Owek Noah Kiyimba was elevated to the office of the minister for Cabinet and visitors in the kingdom.
Being new in office, Owek Kazibwe wanted to know how journalists covering Mengo carry on their work and the challenges they go through during their duties, so that he can find means of polishing where necessary to make work easy for him and the journalists as well.
First, he created a media initiative called Buganda media council which is to help bring out information regarding the kingdom from all ministries, at different platforms as a way of improving on the communication mechanisms in the kingdom, and make people in the kingdom and around the country more informed on what is taking place in the kingdom.
Speaking to journalists during the engagement meeting, Owek Kazibwe introduced the team that is working with the Buganda media council and called on journalists to work with them through making use of the information from them to get more stories and any other programs concerning the kingdom, this is to ease work for journalists covering Mengo.
Owek Kazibwe has also informed journalists that his ministry is to work hard to see that it bridges the gap between journalists covering Mengo and the security team so that both sides carry on their work smoothly without being obstructed.
However, Owek Kazibwe challenged journalists to invest in different developmental ventures to help them earn a living and look after their families, since the salaries they get from their media companies can never be enough to sustain their lives. He pointed out farming, setting up small scale businesses among others.
During the same meeting, the minister in charge of culture, palace and security Owek Antony Wamala challenged journalists to create mutual respect and understanding with the security team so that they follow the guidelines set by the security during Buganda functions especially the King’s functions, to avoid the continous conflicts. This is because journalists and the security team on several occasions both point at each other for obstruction during their work.
The security official who has represented the team Christopher Lutwama showed concern, over journalists who cross their lanes during the Kings function saying, they disorganize the security settings. He noted that their responsibility is to protect the King and they work under specified instructions which they can not go against.
Afande Lutwama noted that during the excution of their work, they cannot let anyone obstruct them since some journalists don’t want to comply to the guidelines, and therefore cautioned media that they need to agree on the terms of work before the function and they need to respect the conditions set, so that they don’t conflict on the fateful day.
The Chairperon for the Buganda Media team Annet Nalubwama challenged journalists to work together with the security team so that both sides can do their work smoothly. She revealed plans of giving Identification cards to the journalists covering Buganda Kingdom to differentiate them from others and give them easy access to the information within the kingdom.
