By Hannah Marion Namukasa
The United Nations Association of Uganda (UNAU) has called on journalists to move beyond surface-level reporting and delve deeper into local and global issues. The appeal was made during a media engagement on accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Richard Baguma, Secretary General of UNAU, commended the media for its critical role in raising awareness and holding stakeholders accountable for SDG implementation. However, he emphasized the need for journalists to enhance their understanding of complex development issues through research, analysis, and interpretation.
“Development is a process, not an event,” Baguma stated. “The media must push itself to explain what these processes mean for the average person and create ownership of development efforts among citizens.”
Baguma pointed to corruption as a key barrier to Uganda’s development, urging journalists to investigate structural challenges and provide actionable insights for the public.
The session also featured remarks from George Muwanguzi, President of UNAU, who stressed the importance of adopting realistic and resource-conscious strategies for development. Muwanguzi highlighted Uganda’s struggles with debt, resource misallocation, and project inefficiencies, urging stakeholders to learn from countries with successful development models while adapting these lessons to Uganda’s unique context.
Uganda ranks 140th out of 162 countries on the global SDG index, with a score of 52.6%, underscoring the urgency of enhanced efforts to meet the 2030 targets.
Kabuye Ronald, Spokesperson for the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), facilitated the session where journalists pledged commitments to contribute toward achieving the SDGs. He encouraged journalists to leave their comfort zones and investigate the actual impact of government and private sector spending on development projects.
Looking ahead, UNAU emphasized collaboration among government, civil society, cultural institutions, and the media as crucial for grassroots development and achieving sustainable progress.
