HW James Ereemye Jumire Mawanda, Registrar and Public Relations Officer (2nd from right)
A team from the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology (ICT) and National Guidance yesterday held a working meeting with representatives from the Judiciary's Communication sand Public Relations Registry to review the Government Airtime Programme and conduct a needs assessment for Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) in Government communication.
The meeting, chaired by HW James Ereemye Jumire Mawanda, Registrar and Public Relations Officer of the Judiciary, took place in the Level 5 Boardroom at the Supreme Court Building. The delegation from the Ministry was led by Ms. Sylivia Nakabugu Biraahwa, Assistant Commissioner, Communication Information Dissemination.
The engagement focused on presenting feedback from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) regarding the strengths and challenges of the Government Airtime Programme, as well as proposals for improvement. Updates on evaluation results with different media houses were also shared, alongside an MER strategy needs assessment.
Ms Biraahwa commended the Judiciary for being diligent in the utilization of airtime allocated to them over the years.
In his remarks, HW Ereemye commended the Ministry for coordinating the airtime programme, noting its impact in enabling the Judiciary to sensitize the public about its mandate. He highlighted that this initiative has contributed significantly to changing public perception of the institution. He further appreciated media houses such as Salam TV, Gugudde TV, Cannel 44 and Family TV for dedicating weekly free airtime to the Judiciary, in addition to partnerships with Resident District Commissioners, LCVs, and other Government officials who have provided platforms to reach court users nationwide.
Ms. Biraahwa reminded the Registry team that under the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Act, all media houses are mandated to provide Government with at least one hour of free weekly airtime for the promotion of national programmes and policies. She explained that the Ministry developed an MER Strategy to streamline acquisition, utilization, and coordination of this airtime. However, she urged Registry to support media houses with business whenever possible, given that most are privately owned and rely on commercial income for sustainability.
Sharing emerging issues from evaluation meetings, Ms. Biraahwa noted improved participation of Government officials in talk shows, higher guest profiles, and better levels of organisation and preparedness. She emphasized the need for MDAs to strengthen working relationships with media houses through mutual support.
The Judiciary Public Relations Officer welcomed the assessment and appealed for a policy where the Judiciary can have dedicated airtime on different media platforms. HW Ereemye stated that each media house has a unique listenership which would otherwise not be reached without such interventions.
Ms. Sheila Wamboga, the Judiciary Principal Communications Officer, expressed appreciation for the Ministry's coordination efforts, noting that the Judiciary has enjoyed more than 150 talk shows, both on radio and television. Adding that this has enhanced the Judiciary's reach to the public.
Ms Wamboga further underscored the value of continued engagements to support broader public awareness campaigns such as Court Open Days, community outreach campaigns, advertorials, infomercials, paid media airtime as well as information, education and communication materials.
The meeting concluded with a survey on how the communication function operates within the Judiciary, examining its structure, challenges, and areas where the Ministry could provide additional support.
Ms. Halimah Kaggwa (Senior Client Service Officer, Judiciary), Mr. Mubiru Baker (Communications Officer, Ministry of ICT), Mr. Deo Akugizibwe (Communications Officer), and Ms. Danielle Nalukenge (Multimedia Officer, Judiciary) were in attendance.
Posted 30th, October 2025
