Gulu, Uganda: The Northern Uganda Media Clubs (NUMEC) has launched a groundbreaking project to foster civic engagement, strengthen community media, and promote digital safety ahead of Uganda’s general elections.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with Diplo Brief, Friend of Zoka, Solidarity Uganda, and the National Association of Professional Environmentalists, aims to amplify rural voices in national discourse.
Speaking at the launch, NUMEC’s Oryem Alfred said the project was informed by years of engagement with rural media practitioners who remain largely excluded from national conversations, and will equip local communities with digital tools and safe platforms to tell their stories, engage in political debates, and hold leaders accountable.
Charcle Mawadri from Friend of Zoka stressed that the initiative will empower locals to tell their stories, protect human rights, and address gender-based violence during the election period. The project will also feature legal workshops, community broadcasting via Green Radio, and grant opportunities for investigative journalism benefiting local communities.
Charcle Akena, NUMEC Program Administrator, highlighted efforts to amplify voices of women and people with disabilities, historically underrepresented in political discourse, ensuring politicians address pressing regional issues in their manifestos.
Deputy City Commissioner Peter Banya commended the partnership, urging journalists to undergo training before the elections to ensure unbiased, ethical, and constructive reporting. Oryem Auric emphasized adherence to journalistic ethics, accuracy, and fairness, cautioning against sensationalism that could divide communities.
Auric noted that credible reporting strengthens democracy and fosters trust between citizens and leaders, a critical goal in Uganda, where women represent over half of eligible voters yet continue to face disproportionate election-related violence, according to the 2020 Violence Against Women and Girls survey.
Founded in 1993 and formally registered in 2009, NUMEC has over two decades of experience working with community media practitioners across Acholi, Lango, and West Nile sub-regions.
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