By Nasser Kasozi Akandwanaho
The Parliamentary Commission has donated the radio and television equipment it had planned to use to enhance media coverage of business in Parliament to Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), a government-owned public broadcaster network.
The equipment, including two transmitters, a standby generator, an uninterruptible power supply, automatic voltage regulators, a bandpass filter, a change-over switch, an equipment rack, an antenna system, and a feeder cable, was handed over to UBC’s management by the Speaker and Chairperson of the Commission, Anita Among.
The project to establish a radio and television station in Parliament had stalled since 2018 due to a disagreement over frequency allocation between the Commission and the Uganda Communications Commission.
The Commission decided to donate the equipment to UBC free of charge, as it believes that venturing into the media industry is not part of Parliament’s mandate.
UBC’s Managing Director, Winston Agaba, expressed gratitude for the donation, stating that the equipment would be used to improve the broadcaster’s coverage of Parliament and educate the public to make informed decisions. He also urged the government to track digital migration.
The equipment was initially donated to Parliament by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) during the 10th Parliament. Several journalists had applied for various positions in the proposed radio and television station, but their dreams were cut short by the Commission’s decision.
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