They kept the papers on street, televisions and radios tuned to, online platforms updated. They kept us informed to the guard, sad that they only continue within bylines and legacies.
As the novel coronavirus infections surge at a 17% infection rate according to Ministry of Health, the media fraternity has its own increasingly getting infected and sadly lost in the 781 Covid-19 deaths registered so far in Uganda. These cut across various newsrooms.
Monica Okot-Station manager Rupiny Radio, Felix Basiime-veteran reporter Daily Monitor, Pauline Bangirana –Daily Monitor are some of the watchdogs that have painfully been lost within a space of two months as the pandemic sours.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), Covid-19 is an infectious respiratory disease caused by Coronavirus causing mild to moderate illness and serious to those with underlying illnesses. Symptoms experienced by an infected person are: coughing, sore throat, sneezing, fever, difficulty in breathing, loss of taste and smell, chest pain, among others inclusive of death.
Journalists succumbed to this novel soldiered a redefinition of journalism in this country that colleagues relate to as works incomparable, lived on and yet sad that the architects are gone too soon.
In one of her last articles penned, Pauline Bangirana previously a feature story writer with Daily Monitor encouraged on as “Staying motivated when you feel underappreciated” this was on April 9 2021. Little did this enthusiastic writer know that it was among her last speeches to the world, among her last bylines she shall relive in forever!
Equally, she was a gender justice enthusiast, content creator, passionate about children, to mention but afew. She is among the fallen soldiers of the fraternity.
Who are some of these fallen soldiers?
Monica Okot
She was a journalist, programmer, formerly Radio Rupiny station manager but also a mother. Okot was one of the founding pillars of 95.7 Radio Rupiny, a localized Luo broadcaster owned by Vision Group in Gulu. It was established in 2009 among other aims to preserve the Luo culture.
In a social media message biding a colleague farewell, former CEO Vision Group Robert Kabushenga posted, “Rest in Peace, Monica Okot. U are not just another covid-19 statistics. U were a good media manager and very passionate about your work. You built Radio Rupiny from scratch to success! How poignant that you came to my farewell party and it was the last goodbye. God watch over your babies,”
Felix Basiime
Since 2001, Felix Basiime served as a Monitor Publication Ltd Bureau Chief of Mbarara and later heading its Bureau in Fort Portal. He was a seasoned reporter on environmental and tourism affairs.
A graduate of a Balechor’s degree in Journalism and Communication from The Uganda Pentecostal University among other professional trainings and qualification, Basiime won numerous media awards and recognition from National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO).
According to media reports, the deceased was a true definition of ethical and solid journalism and a man that nurtured many into professional journalism.
One of his longtime friend and colleague in the trenches of journalism, while eulogizing Basiime reminisced that “As a journalist, Felix didn’t use his profession to settle personal scores, he had a nose for good informative stories. He had a dream of teaching journalism in the evening of his life. It is sad we have lost him at a time when consumers of news are now content producers. Felix should have witnessed this information revolution.”
Other media personalities lost are Hadijah Nakitende, proprietor Sunrise newspaper, Sheilah Nakabuye, NBS reporter and South Western Uganda Bureau Chief, among others in the past six months widely to other causes.
Covid-19 surge and media fraternity, what is the safety of Journalists
The deaths and increasing infections within the media fraternity suggests for strong safety and precaution of journalists as they deliver on their role of information dissemination. This calls for individual vigilance but also media house safety provision for their reporters.
Prioritizing workers in the 2020 lockdown restrictions to combat further spread of the pandemic, government categorized journalists as essential workers hence permitting their continued duty. However high numbers of infections were realized as of October 2020, at least 50 journalists had been infected according to Ministry of Health.
Among the media houses that registered the highest number of Covid-19 cases at the time were Vision Group, Nation Media, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation but now a common talk across news rooms.
World Health Organization (WHO) instituted recommendations to which Uganda among other countries adopted as preventive measures against corona virus. Among these are: Wearing facemasks, social distancing and a physical distance of 2 meters apart, washing hands/sanitizing.
Nevertheless, with an average cost of one thousand shillings for a facemask and five thousand shillings for a hand sanitizer, most journalists/media outlets are only yet to guarantee their safety due to affordability constraints especially upcountry media.
It should be observed that most media operate at marginal costs and continued peanut pays to journalists, to have these precautions affordability especially hand sanitizers for a safety than luxury.
Majority of journalists especially upcountry relate that more uncertainty comes with second wave as regards their safety given the fact that their work nature is interactive.
Challenging the twists for safety priority, most journalists and media outlets are adapting towards virtual practice.
Esther Makula, a chimp reports journalist says that for her safety against the pandemic, she has resorted to telephone and online information sourcing in addition to data facilitation from her employer.
“Now that the pandemic has intensified, my physical field engagements are even least for my own security. I instead call, email my sources as well as work very much from home. Thankfully, my bosses promised to provide us data so I believe the risk of catching the disease to me will be less.” Says Makula.
Margaret Sentamu, Executive Director Uganda Media Women’s Association observes that media has lost strongholds and resourceful persons however to those alive, it is important to strongly consider their safety whilst executing their roles.
Uganda has so far registered 75,537 Covid-19 cases and 50,350 of these have recovered. While this pandemic is on rampage within its second wave, the government has instituted yet another total national lockdown for 42 days among other enforced Standard Operating Procedures to combat the further communal spread of the virus.
Similarly, with usage of the AstraZeneca vaccine, over 800,000 Ugandans have been vaccinated against covid-19 since initiative roll out in March 2021.
