This semester marks the anniversary of the untimely death of the Makererean, a bi- monthly university newspaper. It is sad that a university of high standing as The Ivory Tower would look on as its newspaper falls sick and dies. One can’t believe that The Ivory Tower has operated without a newspaper of its own for a whole academic year.
A number of factors, as dissected by Macharia Muriuki and Asinja Habati, explain this phenomenon.
Official ignorance: Chiefly, the lack of direct university administration’s input to the running of the newspaper is a curse that has be-lamed the paper over the years. It has been playing a quasi-role by totally delegating the paper to the students’ guild.
The guild, responsible for making rules and regulations governing the newspaper’s operation is the tip of the problem. The constitution places too many hurdles for the smooth, objective and independent journalism which could have been achieved through the newspaper.
The constitution: It gives the Minister for information, currently, Hon Twinamasiko Onesimus, absolute mandate in running The Makererean. He is solely responsible for the production of the guild official news and the official publication, which he says is The Makererean. This is where other loopholes arise. How can the minister be responsible for the production of The Makererean? A politician producing the university newspaper is absurd.
The mandate, as outlined in the constitution states, “He/She should either edit the official publication or appoint an editor or editors from among members of the committee of information.”
This is an affront to journalistic values and in particular to the Mass Communication students at The Ivory Tower. The guild constitution does not specify that the Information Minister should have journalistic skills required in the management of its publication.
Where, in a free media society has a politician been the editor of a community newspaper? Besides, how can we be sure of free media if the minister appoints the editor or editors, most of whom are his political bedmates? Being as it is, The Makererean is a guild leadership publication, not the Makerere community newspaper.
The Editor–in-Chief: He is elected by the Guild Representative Council (GRC) members. The minister assents to his/her appointment. Hon Twinamasiko adds that the Editor-in-Chief (another politician) enjoys the same rights and privileges as a minister.
Lastly, in his mandate, the information minister will, “in conjunction with the university administration, arrange for the editing of The Makererean and other official publication.”
The constitution does not specify which administration with whom he’ll work. It doesn’t give reference to the relevant department or administration of the university either the Mass Communication department, the university PRO or the literature department that will help him run the paper. This explains why the previous regime, under Hon. Abbo Susan chose Hon. Namuganyi Susan a civil engineer, as the Editor-in-Chief. This set precedent for Hon. Rutaro’s regime, which appointed Hon Kenneth Byarugaba, an Agricultural student, rather than a Journalism student for the post.
In 2006/2007, some of our groupcritics joined The Makererean to revive it. The paper had been contracted to a Wandegeya based advertising firm, Media Flower to run it. The two issues they released were heavily criticized by the Makerere community including some lecturers. This was raw demotivation to the long journey that had yet been started.
Official negligence by the administration is a threat to the potential of young journalists at The Ivory Tower. It has sat and watched the paper go the dogs. It shoulders the biggest blame for allowing the students’ guild to make rules which do not only reflect the interest of the paper, but also have no sense of journalistic objectivity. It has looked on as the guild uses the name of the institution to for its bulletins to masquerade as the official university newspaper. It is not.
Where a government makes laws for the media, there’s no free media. This contravenes the tenets of the Universal Federation of Journalists.
The administration fails by allowing its Media related departments operate without a newspaper and having no stake at The Makererean unlike most serious communication departments around the globe.
The office of the PRO Makerere University has up to now not sought a quick fix to the problem facing The Makererean. The Senior PRO of Makerere University, Mr Gilbert Kadilo, when asked why the Editor-in-Chief should not come from the Mass Communication department, said the paper would be in the right hands with time. He promised to discuss the matter with the university administration.
As an alumnus of this university and a journalist by profession, he should take drastic and expeditious measures to see to it that the unfavourable rules governing The Makererean are done away with.
Hon. Abbo’s administration (2007/2008), should apologise to the university for adding a nail on The Makererean’s by appointing a civil engineer as the Editor-in-chief. There was no achievement as far as the publication of The Makererean is concerned.
We learn from history. It is a yard stick for the future. However, this seems alien at good old Ivory Tower. The Minister for Information, as a journalist in the offing has let down the university and his profession by making use of archaic guild rules. He keeps defending himself against constructive criticism using the same old constitution, which unfortunately, needs a thorough surgery.
A number of factors, as dissected by Macharia Muriuki and Asinja Habati, explain this phenomenon.
Official ignorance: Chiefly, the lack of direct university administration’s input to the running of the newspaper is a curse that has be-lamed the paper over the years. It has been playing a quasi-role by totally delegating the paper to the students’ guild.
The guild, responsible for making rules and regulations governing the newspaper’s operation is the tip of the problem. The constitution places too many hurdles for the smooth, objective and independent journalism which could have been achieved through the newspaper.
The constitution: It gives the Minister for information, currently, Hon Twinamasiko Onesimus, absolute mandate in running The Makererean. He is solely responsible for the production of the guild official news and the official publication, which he says is The Makererean. This is where other loopholes arise. How can the minister be responsible for the production of The Makererean? A politician producing the university newspaper is absurd.
The mandate, as outlined in the constitution states, “He/She should either edit the official publication or appoint an editor or editors from among members of the committee of information.”
This is an affront to journalistic values and in particular to the Mass Communication students at The Ivory Tower. The guild constitution does not specify that the Information Minister should have journalistic skills required in the management of its publication.
Where, in a free media society has a politician been the editor of a community newspaper? Besides, how can we be sure of free media if the minister appoints the editor or editors, most of whom are his political bedmates? Being as it is, The Makererean is a guild leadership publication, not the Makerere community newspaper.
The Editor–in-Chief: He is elected by the Guild Representative Council (GRC) members. The minister assents to his/her appointment. Hon Twinamasiko adds that the Editor-in-Chief (another politician) enjoys the same rights and privileges as a minister.
Lastly, in his mandate, the information minister will, “in conjunction with the university administration, arrange for the editing of The Makererean and other official publication.”
The constitution does not specify which administration with whom he’ll work. It doesn’t give reference to the relevant department or administration of the university either the Mass Communication department, the university PRO or the literature department that will help him run the paper. This explains why the previous regime, under Hon. Abbo Susan chose Hon. Namuganyi Susan a civil engineer, as the Editor-in-Chief. This set precedent for Hon. Rutaro’s regime, which appointed Hon Kenneth Byarugaba, an Agricultural student, rather than a Journalism student for the post.
In 2006/2007, some of our groupcritics joined The Makererean to revive it. The paper had been contracted to a Wandegeya based advertising firm, Media Flower to run it. The two issues they released were heavily criticized by the Makerere community including some lecturers. This was raw demotivation to the long journey that had yet been started.
Official negligence by the administration is a threat to the potential of young journalists at The Ivory Tower. It has sat and watched the paper go the dogs. It shoulders the biggest blame for allowing the students’ guild to make rules which do not only reflect the interest of the paper, but also have no sense of journalistic objectivity. It has looked on as the guild uses the name of the institution to for its bulletins to masquerade as the official university newspaper. It is not.
Where a government makes laws for the media, there’s no free media. This contravenes the tenets of the Universal Federation of Journalists.
The administration fails by allowing its Media related departments operate without a newspaper and having no stake at The Makererean unlike most serious communication departments around the globe.
The office of the PRO Makerere University has up to now not sought a quick fix to the problem facing The Makererean. The Senior PRO of Makerere University, Mr Gilbert Kadilo, when asked why the Editor-in-Chief should not come from the Mass Communication department, said the paper would be in the right hands with time. He promised to discuss the matter with the university administration.
As an alumnus of this university and a journalist by profession, he should take drastic and expeditious measures to see to it that the unfavourable rules governing The Makererean are done away with.
Hon. Abbo’s administration (2007/2008), should apologise to the university for adding a nail on The Makererean’s by appointing a civil engineer as the Editor-in-chief. There was no achievement as far as the publication of The Makererean is concerned.
We learn from history. It is a yard stick for the future. However, this seems alien at good old Ivory Tower. The Minister for Information, as a journalist in the offing has let down the university and his profession by making use of archaic guild rules. He keeps defending himself against constructive criticism using the same old constitution, which unfortunately, needs a thorough surgery.
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8 comments:
Macharia this is an interesting piece. It is indeed sad that such an institution has no newspaper and a radio in limbo.
With the prior experience we already had at The Makererean, this is just a show of the tip of the bitterness we have. The almost everdyday transit to and fro the Media FLower, the sacrifice to do handle the whole publication with dedication... Even after the first two issues, with very little input from the major stakeholders, the paper still went under water. Now, we have part of the crew on the groupcritics. Kudos guys. seej
I do not know if it is too late to post a comment for the topic which was posted in 2008. I was once Editor in chief of the Makererean. We were able to produce because the Editor in Chief was elected by the Guild Representative Council therefore was the responsible person in charge. However, the Makererean has slowly died because the Guild Presidents feel they are the boss because they become dictatorial like outside governments in the past, wanting to control news especially if the newspaper reports are not. Ask Prof. Patric Mangheni (the mathematician for advice on how we used to do it, moreover there were no computers. the only administrator involved was prof Kakoza who was head of law school who read through the articles to ensure there was no potential legal action. During my time he never changed even one word. The editorial board that I selected had a lot of students who were also reporters of papers outside campus. What about putting out a call to the whole student body to invite people to join the board, giving them criteria that would be used to seled them? It would bring on board people who are active and doers. During my time the mInister of information had nothing to do with the Makerean. If that were the case then the Editor in chief would not have been elected by GRC.
Immaculate Wamimbi
Immaculate, I think the problem comes in when politics is fused in the whole process. The Makererean ought to be run independently of the Guild. It should be run as an independent department with sustainable financing, and all other vested interests will be minimised.
I don't buy your argument that the editor-in-chief has to necessary be a mass student. If I can phrase it my way, the Makererean is supposed to reflect the vibe of Makerere University, and anyone gifted or ambitious enough to capture this vibe can become editor. The problem is both the campus leadership and our ineffective guild governments.
the guild should sit down and analyse critically who is suppossd to in charge of the paper, we cant have one handlin political issues at te same time the paper
It has been quite long since this article was posted on this blog. I feel so happy that I landed on it. I must say, I have read it so carefully, including the comments.
True, the Makererean had gone to gutters and to a very large extent, I agree with Macharia. The reasons he outlined in the article were very true.
I am a third year student of Journalism and communication. When I joined the University in 2010, the Makererean was in the hand of the Law Chief Editor. The kind of work that the Makererean put before the public was so wanting. The paper was full of people's profiles as though there were no news to write!
Cutting the whole story short, I must thank the Guild Information Minister (2012/13), Kyeyune Moses, who hailed from the department of journalism and communication. He worked so very hard to ensure that much as the GRCs are the ones to vote the Chief Editor, he presented the best candidate coming from the department of journalism and communication. He was voted and journalism students took the paper into their hands to deliver the best for the reader.
Durring the period of 2012/2013 the Makererean had two publications from the previous one in the whole regime of about 9 months.
The intention was to have as many as possible but the interference of the guild president into the Makererean affairs made the desired intentions of the Makrerean futile. Despite the two publications, the content in the paper had substance with the journalistic principles applied. Journalism students did their best and believe me, the Makerean was brought back from the gutter.
As I write this comment, the Chief Editor of this paper for the year 2013/2014, who is just one week in office, is a Journalism and communication student who beat other 3 students from the Law school during the elections by the GRCs.
The agenda for the Makererean is already set and I must say "expect the best".
We need your guidance and direction for this paper and all your comments and support in anyway are highly welcome.
Like us on facebook (THE MAKERERAN)and also follow us on twitter (@Themakererean). Together we can make the Makererean a better paper for this institution. Thank you
Sampaul Nakhaima,
Chief Editor Makererean 2013/2014
It has been quite long since this article was posted on this blog. I feel so happy that I landed on it. I must say, I have read it so carefully, including the comments.
True, the Makererean had gone to gutters and to a very large extent, I agree with Macharia. The reasons he outlined in the article were very true.
I am a third year student of Journalism and communication. When I joined the University in 2010, the Makererean was in the hand of the Law Chief Editor. The kind of work that the Makererean put before the public was so wanting. The paper was full of people's profiles as though there were no news to write!
Cutting the whole story short, I must thank the Guild Information Minister (2012/13), Kyeyune Moses, who hailed from the department of journalism and communication. He worked so very hard to ensure that much as the GRCs are the ones to vote the Chief Editor, he presented the best candidate coming from the department of journalism and communication. He was voted and journalism students took the paper into their hands to deliver the best for the reader.
Durring the period of 2012/2013 the Makererean had two publications from the previous one in the whole regime of about 9 months.
The intention was to have as many as possible but the interference of the guild president into the Makererean affairs made the desired intentions of the Makrerean futile. Despite the two publications, the content in the paper had substance with the journalistic principles applied. Journalism students did their best and believe me, the Makerean was brought back from the gutter.
As I write this comment, the Chief Editor of this paper for the year 2013/2014, who is just one week in office, is a Journalism and communication student who beat other 3 students from the Law school during the elections by the GRCs.
The agenda for the Makererean is already set and I must say "expect the best".
We need your guidance and direction for this paper and all your comments and support in anyway are highly welcome.
Like us on facebook (THE MAKERERAN)and also follow us on twitter (@Themakererean). Together we can make the Makererean a better paper for this institution. Thank you
Sampaul Nakhaima,
Chief Editor Makererean 2013/2014
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