RUBIRIZI – Journalists in Western Uganda have painted a stark picture of their work hardships, ranging from chronic low pay and intimidation by hostile actors to limited equipment and pervasive political exploitation.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The revelation came over the weekend during a daylong unity forum that convened journalists and bloggers from across Rubirizi District at Rubirizi Cottages Hotel in Ndekye Town Council.
The gathering, whose agenda included the election of new leadership, united a broad spectrum of voices, including bloggers, reporters, radio presenters, and social media influencers.
Addressing the participants, the elected chairperson of Rubirizi Media Practitioners, Kiiru Ramathan, painted a stark picture of daily journalistic struggles, including chronic low pay, intimidation, limited equipment, and political misuse.
He stressed that the meeting aimed to help media practitioners serve the community better, earn a living for their families, and partner with local leaders to fight poverty and corruption.
“When a journalist is underpaid, intimidated, and stripped of proper tools, the entire community loses its voice. But when we unite, save together, and refuse to be rented by politicians every election cycle, we don’t just report the news, we become the change that fights poverty, exposes corruption, and builds peace from our villages upward,” remarked Ramathan.
Ramathan also highlighted how responsible media promotes public education, amplifies marginalized voices, and reduces village conflicts through accurate reporting.
Aine Shira, a reporter for Lit TV based in Rubirizi, emphasized that the core objective of the meeting was fostering unity among media practitioners to build one strong and unbreakable voice for the district.
She called for setting strategies to improve journalism quality, urging colleagues to advise one another and work as a team, while also extending an olive branch to district leaders to partner with media in educating residents on escaping poverty and hunger.
“When journalists and bloggers stand as one strong voice, we stop being tools in the hands of politicians and start becoming the true mirrors of our community. I invite our district leaders to walk with us, because an informed citizen who understands government programs is a citizen who can fight poverty and hunger with their own hands,” Shira noted.
Kyomuhendo Aisha, a radio presenter at Rubirizi FM, expressed deep appreciation for the initiative bridging traditional journalists and social media bloggers, and urged her peers to embrace thorough research before reporting.
She warned that the community should never receive false information from the media, insisting that journalists must always report truthful and constructive news that builds the community rather than destroying it.
“The village trusts us. If we broadcast lies or half-truths, we do not destroy our own names alone, we destroy the very fabric of our community. Let us be builders, not wreckers, with the news we deliver,” stated Aisha.
The LC III Councilor of Ndekye Town Council, who is also a journalist, Hon. Tugume Muzafaru, urged media practitioners to look beyond the newsroom, embrace a disciplined saving culture, and start income projects to educate their children and sustain their homes.
“Look beyond the microphone. Start a project, form a savings group, and secure your child’s school fees. When you are economically strong, no politician will buy your silence and no bribe will tempt your pen. Let integrity be your brand, but let self-reliance be your foundation,” remarked Muzafaru.
The gathering resolved to share stories and equipment, form a savings group, and launch side projects to boost income, while commending the meeting for sharpening research and fact-checking skills to avoid misleading the community.
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