The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) has ushered in a new chapter of leadership following a dramatic but ultimately unifying annual general assembly held at its Keti Falawo offices in Kawempe, Kampala. Vision Group journalist Emmanuel Kirunda has been elected as the association's new president, succeeding Mathias Rukundo in a contest that ended with a remarkable display of collegiality.
A Race That Turned on Unity
Kirunda, who previously served as the association's secretary general, secured the top seat after his main challenger, fellow Vision Group journalist Jay Rizik Kalungi Agonzibwa, withdrew from the race. The turn of events came after returning officer and advocate Gilbert Mbonye invited both candidates and their agents into a brief five-minute consultation aimed at finding common ground.
When the assembly reconvened, Mbonye announced that Kalungi had stepped down from the presidential contest. She was subsequently declared vice-president, filling a position that had remained vacant during the initial round of voting.
Two Visions, One Goal
Before the withdrawal, both candidates had laid out distinct agendas for the association. Kalungi focused heavily on the economic welfare and financial security of media practitioners. She proposed the creation of a journalists' Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (SACCO) to offer affordable loans, arguing that reporters deserve a structured financial support system comparable to what other professions enjoy.
She also pledged to establish a medical emergency fund for journalists struggling with treatment costs, alongside pushing for scholarships and mentorship programmes targeting female and upcoming media workers. On the question of unity, Kalungi urged the association to operate as a family rather than as a political faction.
Kirunda, now at the helm, inherits an organisation looking to strengthen its internal cohesion while addressing the practical challenges facing journalists across the country. His experience as secretary general is expected to inform his approach to the association's administration.
What the New Leadership Faces
- Strengthening financial security for journalists through cooperative savings and loan schemes.
- Addressing the cost of medical care for media practitioners in distress.
- Building mentorship pathways for women and young journalists entering the profession.
- Fostering unity within an association often divided along political and institutional lines.
The peaceful transition of leadership, capped by a challenger's decision to accept the vice-presidential role rather than fracture the union, offers an early signal that the new team may prioritise cohesion over contestation. For an association representing working journalists in Uganda, that spirit of compromise could prove as valuable as any policy pledge.
The assembly concluded with the new leadership set to take charge of the association's affairs, carrying with it the expectations of members who turned up in Kawempe to shape the future of their professional body.
