Freedom of journalism has made a significant step forward

This is one of the conclusions drawn yesterday during a debate that comprised journalists, Rwanda Media Commission and RGB. This debate came in as Rwanda and the international community is soon to celebrate World Press Freedom Day on May, 3th, 2014.

The debate held in the studios of the Radio Isango was attended by Robert Mugabe, a journalist from the Great Lakes Voice, Emma Claudine from the Rwanda Media Commission and Ignasius Kabagambe from the RGB.

The aim of the debate was to find out what is the current situation as regard to how media professionals exercise the job, challenges encountered and what is being  done to improve the situation.

The presenters of the show were Ayanone Solange and Uwimana Jane.

One of the presenters highlighted the fact that some of the journalists, namely Ntwali John Williams and Gatera Stanley have fled Rwanda for security reasons as they made it  known to the public through online media.

To this, Emma Claudine who represented the body of the RMC said that none among the journalists has fled the nation because of the security reasons relating to the exercise of their profession.

A journalist can flee  the nation for his/her own reasons different from the ones related to the exercise of the profession, Emma said, highlighting  the example of Gatera Stanley who has been caught by Police being bribed.

For the case of Ntwali J.Williams, both Emma and Kabagambe said that Ntwali were in Uganda for his own business affairs.

At the other side, Mugabe said that Gatera, who is his friend as he said, was arrested few minutes after they came from remembering the journalists killed in the 1994 genocide.

If some people say that both journalists are free in Rwanda, why can’t those journalists communicate it to the public? , Mugabe asked.

He added that normally an adult who is arrested by the Police for bribery issues can’t be released without being charged in the courts.

So if Gatera has been arrested for bribery  issues he might have been charged for it and not be released afterwards, Mugabe added.

Presenters asked the RGB representative why people say that there is a feeling of fear among journalists, a fear related to the recent affair of Kizito Mihigo arrested for national security reasons.

To this, Kabagambe there is no fear among journalists because the ones who are exercising the profession without criminal issues with security organs are free and secure.

He shares the views with Emma Claudine who called upon journalists to report to the RMC any security issue that interferes with the exercise of their profession.

Generally participants agreed that freedom of journalists has improved since 1994 but more need to be done as to keep improving.

Listeners messaged that the freedom of journalists should be sustained for the betterment of journalism and politics.

At the international level the participants discussed about the Russian and Ukrainian crisis whereby Russia is accused to intervene in the Ukrainian affairs.

UM– USEKE.RW