- More than seven in 10 Ugandans (72%) said the media should have the right to publish any views and ideas without government interference, while 27% endorsed a government right to prevent the publication of things it disapproves of.
- A strong majority (80%) of citizens said the news media should “constantly investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption.”
- Two-thirds (66%) of survey respondents said the country’s media is at least “somewhat free” to report and comment on the news without government interference, although only 23% described the media as “completely free.” o Perceptions of media freedom rose by 8 percentage points between 2019 and 2022.
- Radio was the most popular source of news in Uganda, used at least “a few times a week” by about eight out of 10 citizens (79%). o News consumption via radio, television, the Internet, social media, and newspapers was more common among men and more educated respondents than among women and the unschooled.
- Almost three-quarters (73%) of Ugandans said the public should have access to government information, while 25% believed such information should be for use by government officials only.
Uganda’s media laws and their enforcement have been subjects of both praise and criticism, reflecting a complex landscape where legal frameworks and their application often have negative implications for press freedom (Cohen & McIntyre, 2020). In January 2023, Uganda’s Constitutional Court struck down Section 25 of the Computer Misuse Act that criminalised “offensive communication.” The court found the law to be “vague, overly broad, and ambiguous,” noting that it had been used to justify the detention of journalists. Although this decision was hailed as a significant victory for freedom of expression and a move toward aligning Uganda’s laws with democratic standards, a greater part of the law remains controversial (Nanfuka, 2023).
This intricate media environment reflects the ongoing struggle between regulatory authorities and media practitioners in Uganda. The 2024 World Press Freedom Index ranks Uganda 128th out of 180 countries, a slight improvement from 133th in 2023 (Reporters Without Borders, 2024). The report highlights persistent problems, including frequent intimidation and violence against journalists. One recent example cited by the Committee to Protect Journalists (2025) is the brutal assault on a journalist by antiterrorism officers during the Kawempe North by elections.
Findings from the Afrobarometer Round 9 survey (2022) show that a strong majority of Ugandans supported media freedom and believed the media should play a watchdog role by investigating and reporting on government mistakes and corruption. Most citizens said the public should have access to government information.
In practice, two-thirds said the Ugandan media is free to report and comment on the news without government interference. Radio remained by far the most popular news source among Ugandans.
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