Government has warned all media houses against hosting politicians and guests who don the ‘People Power’ red berets while on air.
The directive was issued on Tuesday by government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo in a meeting with media owners under their association of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).
Opondo said, “The gazette by Uganda People’s Defence forces stands until its quashed by a court of law. Anyone who wanted to stop the process would have sought court injunction but for now it is illegal.”
Opondo said any media house insisting on hosting people in red-berets will do so illegally.
In the same meeting, the media owners under their umbrella body, the National Association for Broadcasters (NAB), petitioned security agencies over the arrest and brutality meted out to journalists and panelists.
They asked security agencies to work on the brutality of the forces against their journalists and panelists, at a time when the country is preparing for the 2021 general elections.
On Thursday last week, NUP Secretary Lewis Rubongoya was arrested moments after appearing on the NBS Frontline and police noted that the arrest was because of a red beret that he wore during the show.
The red beret is worn to signify the revolutionary camp by individuals that subscribe to the National Unity Platform party and People Power Movement.
Last year, government listed the red beret as official military attire and banned civilians from wearing it.
