Uganda Lifts TV Station's 'Sleeping President' Ban

Uganda's government said Wednesday it was lifting a ban on a TV station's coverage of presidential events imposed after the media outlet aired images it said showed President Yoweri Museveni asleep in parliament.

In a brief statement, government's spokesperson Ofwono Opondo said the presidential security service had decided to "reinstate NTV coverage of President Museveni's functions" as of Thursday, ending a month-long ban.

NTV Uganda, part of the Nation Media Group and east and central Africa's largest independent media house, last month aired images of Museveni apparently having a snooze during a debate on the national budget.

The Ugandan government insisted that the veteran leader was merely meditating and accused the channel of a "lack of professionalism and biased coverage".

Museveni, aged 69, is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, and has led the impoverished east African nation since 1986.