UHRC ANNOUNCES NATIONAL COMMEMORATION OF WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2026

By Prince Obed
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) announced plans to commemorate World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2026, during a press briefing held today at the Uganda Media Centre.
The national celebrations will take place on Sunday, 3rd May, 2026 at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) Grounds and will feature a national commemorative walk, speeches and an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding achievements in the media industry.
The event will be officiated by the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Chris Baryomunsi, alongside the Chairperson of UHRC Mariam Wangadya, the Media Council of Uganda leadership, heads of media houses and professional associations. The day will begin with a national commemorative walk starting at 7am, moving from UBC through the streets of Kampala, before returning for the official ceremony and awards.
Speaking on behalf of the UHRC Chairperson, Commissioner Hon. Lame Omara Apitta welcomed this year’s national theme, ‘Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Development and Security in Uganda.’
He emphasized that enabling journalists and the media to tell stories that promote peacebuilding, national unity and development is essential for safeguarding human dignity and coexistence.
“Uganda has made progress in promoting media freedoms, through legislation and growing tolerance of criticism. However, challenges persist on both sides, there have been instances where individuals in law enforcement and politics have overstepped legal limits in restricting media freedoms,” Commissioner Omara said.
Despite these challenges, he reassured the public that Uganda has conflict resolution mechanisms and reporting channels to ensure grievances are addressed.
“UHRC is working together with actors, under the Uganda Media Sector Working Group (UMSWG), as part of our cardinal role to enhance public awareness about press freedom and to re-affirm this freedom, as an essential foundation for peace, development and security. This unity is part of our various mechanisms, through which we monitor government compliance with its international and regional treaty obligation. Through alliances like these, we lay strategies for strengthening journalists’ safety, while addressing impunity from all corners, including digital spaces with specific attention to gender-based threats,” Commissioner Omara added.
Through these collaborations, the Commission aims to enhance journalists’ safety, tackle impunity and address digital threats, including gender-based harassment. “Let us continue calling upon each other, whenever there is just cause, because the protection and promotion of human rights cannot be achieved by lone-runners, but with concerted effort of each and everyone concerned pulling in the same direction. Let us give wise counsel to one another and critique but not criticize,” Commissioner Omara advised.
The Commissioner also highlighted the growing challenge of misinformation and deep fakes in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). “We know the various challenges that the media face, including the rapid advancement of technology in news production and dissemination. In this era of Artificial Intelligence, where deep fakes can be difficult to distinguish from facts or realities on the ground, the media industry has an even greater responsibility to rebuild trust, credibility and accountability through fact-checking, in order to avoid bias and misinformation that could lead to unnecessary conflict in society.”
Media professionals were urged to strengthen fact-checking, credibility and accountability to rebuild public trust and prevent conflict fueled by misinformation.
Commissioner Omara noted that the commemoration will serve as a platform to reflect and dialogue on press freedom, promote journalists’ safety, welfare and address physical and digital threats facing media professionals.
UHRC called on all stakeholders to work together in protecting human rights and media freedom, by encouraging unity and collaboration, noting that protecting human rights requires collective effort from all stakeholders.
The Writer works with Uganda Media Centre