Uganda’s veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has castigated state broadcaster UBC for airing an interview with him after editing it.
On July 09, UBC ran its first interview with Besigye, Museveni’s fiercest critic, in two decades.
Airing on Michael Jordan Lukomwa’s ‘One on One’ program, the interview reminded Ugandans of the previous one that led to the sacking of Gawaya Tegulle, the journalist who had dared host Besigye.
Tegulle is now a celebrated Kampala-based lawyer.
Besigye and UBC had also faced of in a court battle after the latter refused to run the politician’s 2011 campaign adverts despite taking his money.
Besigye won the case and court ordered UBC to pay the four-time presidential candidate Shs80m.
In the latest interview, Besigye criticised Museveni for his alleged lack of plan to handle the Covid19 crisis.
But the criticism aired was not as hard-hitting as is typical of that that runs on private media stations like NTV Uganda and NBS Television.
In the hugest part of what was aired, Besigye, a medical doctor by training, gave expert advice on how to deal with Covid19, and responded to questions on his recommended herbal concoction, dubbed Besigye-zeneca.
Hours after the recorded show aired, Besigye praised the boldness by UBC, but added he would rather the interview had not been since it was heavily edited.
“I appreciate the great risk taken by UBC in getting and airing an interview with me. The last one, which was with (now) Counsel Gawaya Tegule about 20 years ago ended his job!” noted Besigye.
“UBC promised not to edit my responses. I asked them not to air the program at all if they felt unable to air some of its parts- I would understand.I am disappointed by what has been aired.I have no problems with the portions that have been aired. I am disappointed about what was edited out.”
