The practice of journalism is one of the most risk fields to go to in Uganda as state security agencies look at the media as an enemy despite being a fourth estate. This has for several times been evident basing on the half-baked relationship between the state, the media, and media practitioners as a whole.
Journalists in Uganda have become a point of target by security personnel, and other state mercenaries who do not only censure media houses but also go a head to flog, batter, torture and do illegal detention against journalists something that violates freedom of expression and the media as guaranteed in Article 29 of the country’s constitution, PC 1995.
As a mean of expressing their dissatisfactions, journalists on Monday December 28, walked out of the security presser held at Uganda Media Centre.
The press brief was headed by Maj. Gen. Henry Matsiko, the UPDF Chief Political Commissar to address the public on UPDF move to prepare for the February 2021, Tarehe Sits celebrations.
This did not however fall on a fertile ground after journalists demanded to apologies from the security on unprofessional conduct of their officers against journalists when on duty.
They also demand that Masaka RPC, Enock Abaine be arrested and brought to book for battering journalists during the scuffles.
Journalists also demand for fair treatment and protection during the course of their duties.
The demands follow Sunday fatal incidents in Masaka where three journalists were brutally tortured while covering campaigns events for Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, presidential candidate for the National Unity Platform.
Ashraf Kasirye, a journalist attached to Ghetto Media owned by NUP party was shot on the head and is still in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kampala hospital in critical conditions, while other journalists; Ali Mivule of NTV and Daniel Lutaaya, NBS Television are still retreating wounds after they were injured with tear gas canisters as police dispersed Kyagulanyi supporters.
During the security presser, journalists Lubowa Abubaker and Gabriel Buule Chrispus, both attached to the Daily Monitor Newspaper expressed concerns for the mistreatmets clobbered at their colleagues demanding an apology from the UPDF.
However, in his response, Maj. Gen Matsiko failed to apologize to the media but in stead blasted at them alleging that they (journalists) act unprofessionally.
This prompted Journalist Buule who had earlier in his submission revealed that he lost to function in the bedroom due to beatings and tortures mounted on him by security in 2016 while covering a swearing in event in which Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, the former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party President declared himself the legally elected president of this country.
Journalists responded in solidarity and walked out of the presser pledging not to again partner with the police and other security agencies until an apology is made and perpetrators of journalists rights are brought to book.
By the time of abandoning the press, the UPDF and Police Spokespersons, Brig. Gen.Flavia Byekwaso and CP Fred Enanga, had not addressed the media as it is their norm to hold a weekly security updates brief.
Security sycophants were immediately deployed outside the media centre building but journalists could not give up on their peaceful protests.
