Economic & Social Affairs DESA Working Paper No. 72 ST/ESA/2009/DWP/72 January 2009 Role of media in curbing corruption: the case of Uganda under President Yoweri K. Museveni during the “no-party” system Monica Nogara Abstract Free, independent and hard-hitting media can play an important role in curbing corruption. Media in Uganda has enjoyed considerable freedom in this regard since Museveni came to power in 1986. The evolving power structure and a changing media landscape, however, have presented both challenges and opportunities for media’s watchdog role on corruption. This paper will explore how this environment defined such role between 1986 and 2006 during Museveni’s “no-party” rule. It argues that, although media won important battles to promote accountability in public offices, the regime’s complex power structure has consistently challenged their role as an instrument of public accountability. JEL Classification: D72, D73, D81, D82, D83, H11, K40, L82 Keywords: corruption, media, press freedom, governance, rule of law Monica Nogara is currently Economic Affairs Officer in the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination. E-mail:
[email protected] Comments should be addressed by email to the author. Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 The role of media in curbing corruption ............................................................................. 2 The case of Uganda under President Yoweri K. Museveni ............................................................