Lango Web

By Bonny Odongo in Lira, 2 May 2009

Robert Egwea - convened and chaired the meeting

On 28 May 2009 more than a dozen print and radio journalists from northern Uganda held a meeting at Lira Hotel and resolved to launch Uganda's fifth national paper within a year.

Currently there are four national newspapers in Uganda, all of which are published in Kampala, namely: New Vision, The Monitor, The Observer and the Red paper.

The meeting followed concerns from various northern Ugandan leaders including Hon Daniel Omara Atubo, Minister of Lands, Planning & Urban Development that Kampala based newspapers and TV do not give events in northern Uganda ample coverage.

It was convened and chaired by London-based journalist Robert Olet Egwea, who echoed Omara Atubo's recent remarks that northern Uganda was being marginalized in the national press.

Egwea traced the origin of the north's disadvantage to colonial times when the region was marginalized in education, health facilities and other infrastructures.

"There is an information vacuum in northern Uganda because our national papers do not adequately cover the north", Egwea observed, and added that it was against this background that he decided to set up Lango Web, an on-line resource that gives priority to articles generated from northern Uganda.

Egwea also said his personal conviction is that journalists from northern Uganda should come together and do something to address the situation. He proposed that an alternative media detailing TV station, newspaper, magazines and books be set up to expose the problems, needs and development of the area.

In reaction, the journalists present overwhelmingly supported the proposal and called for more training to ensure quality work once the paper is launched. They then set up a steering committee to take forward the proposal. Egwea pledged to help connect the journalists with colleagues overseas.

The meeting was attended by journalists from Mega FM, Voice of Lango FM, Rupiny, New Vision and Red Pepper. There was also a freelance journalist and a representative from Lango Cultural Foundation.? Several journalists who were not able to attend registered their apologies.

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