| By Sam Wakhakha,
:: 15-11-2011
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Guild president Chrysostom Akwech is furious over an article that appeared in the last issue of The Standard.
He complained that the article written under the title 'Guild president summoned by parliament' dented his image. He went ahead to say that he was never going to be lenient to The Standard because it is hell bent on spoiling his name.
Although he did not directly confront the paper, a press release bearing his signature and that of his public relations officer stated that whatever The Standard had published was untrue and that he was not even contacted for a comment.
"The Standard makes claims without first proving them or getting the other side of the story looking for sensational news. It seems like this is an attempt to attack The Guild president. The president did not call any of the members mentioned in the article," read the news release in part.
Relatedly, an anonymous text message calling for the withdrawal from circulation of the paper because of the alleged spoiling of the author's name was forwarded by the vice chancellor to The Standard.
The press release did not deny the fact that he was called by the house. It instead claimed that he had just been 'requested.' Copies of the summoning letter which The Standard has obtained required the president to appear before the house . The speaker, Nish Kihangire had also been named in the guild press release as having a hidden agenda of gaining popularity as he intends to run for guild presidency next year.
The speaker however denied habouring any ulterior motive in relation to the matter. The president also claimed that he was not contacted to comment on the story in question by The Standard. But before the publication of the article, he was twice contacted by The Standard stringer Timothy Murungi to which he declined. He instead choose to directly persuade newspaper's supervisor not to publish the article although the reasons given were found not to be satisfactory. He has promised never to step at the newspaper premises and also continue issuing press releases that will run counter to it.
Genesis of the problem
On October 14, a guild parliamentary session was called and key on the agenda was hearing a report from the finance committee. The vice president and minister for culture and social Affairs were cleared. Parliament however found inconsistencies in regard to the minister of internal affairs and his deputy. The MPs seemed resolute to investigate the two ministers further. It was at this point that some of them begun claiming that the president was asking them not to go ahead with the session. The president and a few ministers had gone to attend a conference at Gulu University on that same day. It is said that it is at this conference that the president communicated to some members of parliament not to attend the session. The press release claims that the session coincided with some cabinet activities. The MPs however did not mind and went ahead and saw the guild president as wanting to forestall the session. They saw this as interference in the parliament's affairs. They later resolved to call him to clear the allegations. The Standard was present when all this was going on and reported as events unfolded.
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Uganda Christian University's community newspaper
:: Uganda Christian University 2008