Whereas various actors, including CSOs, are doing commendable work in improving transparency and accountability, including enabling citizen voice and advocating for duty bearer responsiveness through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and offline engagements, their efforts are undermined by limited reach to actors and geographical regions, as well as inadequate elevation of issues raised in their work to public officials, including decision makers at district and national level.
Meanwhile, Ugandan media face several challenges in meaningfully executing the role expected of them as the Fourth Estate. These challenges include inadequate research and sourcing, cumbersome access to public sector information, and weak relations with sources including civil society actors. These challenges hamper the media from playing an active role as a watchdog that holds state and non-state parties accountable, as an enabler of debate of issues of community and national concern, as a driver of transparency, and as a promoter of the public good.
Addressing these challenges requires a closer working relationship between the media and CSOs engaged in T&A work, and development of new skills by both stakeholder groups.
