By Richard Otim
It’s barely been a week since the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, a day that feels like a cruel joke in Uganda. The weight of Prof. Austin Ejiet’s words, spoken over a decade ago, still lingers heavily. “The greatest enemy to journalism in Uganda is the journalists themselves,” Prof. Ejiet said.
Once, I was a bright-eyed reporter, bursting with idealism and a voice for the voiceless. But reality slammed me hard into the face. The truth of working in a politically charged environment, with constant pressure from both the government and self-censoring media houses, chipped away at my enthusiasm.
I nostalgically recall the several sensitive stories I submitted to my editors, only to see many either buried or doctored. Disillusioned, I left journalism and spent years working odd jobs. The spark that once burned so brightly in me was now just a shaky ember. I felt like a failure, a casualty of a system that seemed determined to crush anyone who dared to speak truth to power.
Recently, one brutal online backlash pushed me spiraling. Fueled by online anonymity and fictitious bylines, a pushy journalist accused me of being “failed, frustrated, and miserable” simply because I had penned a few articles online in support of Echodu Calvin David, an aspirant for the position of NRM National Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda.
It was then that thoughts of the Professor’s words returned afresh. He had joked that “journalists in Uganda, like ensenene (grasshoppers) trapped in a bottle, are devouring each other instead of working together.” It felt tragically accurate.
Yet, something stirred hard within me. The rant, as vicious as it was, had inadvertently touched a nerve. It reminded me of the passion that had once inspired my active days in journalism, the belief that it could make a difference.
Fueled by a renewed sense of purpose, I have since tried to work in my spare time, focusing on issues neglected by the mainstream media. I realize that quitting active journalism wasn’t a crime, but a decision that would have been wrong if I abandoned writing.
Self-serving agendas may prevail, but the spirit of commitment to truth and justice keeps burning. Now, I understand Prof. Ejiet’s words in a new light. The enemy isn’t just the external forces that seek to suppress the media; the enemy is also the internal cynicism, the infighting, and the failure to recognize the shared struggle.