Miria Matembe to Njala: “This Is Silly” — A Live TV Takedown of Media Priorities.

Описание: In a moment that sent shockwaves through the studio, Miria Matembe—once a minister under President Museveni and now one of his most outspoken critics—delivered a scathing indictment of Uganda’s mainstream media. With a steady gaze and unmistakable resolve, she accused the press of obsessing over political theatrics while the nation grapples with far graver realities.

Appearing on NBS Frontline on NBS Television, Matembe interrupted the routine rhythm of political commentary. The evening’s discussion revolved around a former member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) crossing over to the National Resistance Movement (NRM)—a storyline that, in her view, paled in comparison to the crises unfolding across the country. Turning directly to host Simon Kaggwa Njala, she bluntly dismissed the debate as “silly,” challenging the media’s editorial priorities in real time.

Her frustration was unmistakable. While headlines spotlight defections and party maneuvering, she argued, Ugandans are confronting reports of killings, abductions, and unlawful arrests. In that charged exchange, Matembe transformed what might have been another predictable political discussion into a pointed reckoning about the media’s role in shaping national consciousness.

Well, in my commentary I will show you how this episode powerfully echoed the thesis advanced by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman in Manufacturing Consent: that media institutions, whether intentionally or structurally, can steer public attention away from uncomfortable truths and toward less consequential narratives.

In calling out the spectacle, Matembe did more than criticize a television segment—she ignited a broader debate about accountability, responsibility, and whether Uganda’s media is amplifying the nation’s most urgent concerns or muting them behind political drama.