Uganda Whistle Blowers Association (UWBA) president Musa Majoba has condemned the continued harassment of journalists covering the elections in the country.
Majoba noted with concern that journalists have been beaten up, arrested, their equipment destroyed and some even suffered serious injury since election campaigns kicked off in November 2020.
He said, “The 2021 general elections that were dubbed “scientific” by President Yoweri Museveni were expected to be the friendliest to journalists. Due to the novel Coronavirus outbreak restrictions, Uganda had decided campaigns would majorly on radio, TV and other mainstream broadcasting outlets like the internet.”
“The media is heavily involved in those sectors and it was expected that they would play a big hand in relaying politicians communication to the public. The opposite seems to have happened instead,” Majoba continued.
He said UWBA had noticed with dismay that the journalists targeted by police and other security agents are mostly those covering opposition figures campaigns. The opposition figures in question being National Unity Platform (NUP’s) Robert Kyagulanyi and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Paul Oboi Amuriat. These candidates are contesting against incumbent Museveni for the presidential slot.
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The UWBA head called upon police and the army to remember that the media serves a fundamental function in a democracy to inform the public. He challenged the security forces to use the right channels of the Uganda Media Council to voice any misgivings they might have about the conduct about some members of the press instead of harassing them while they are doing their job.
UWBA, and other civic minded organisations are closely monitoring the electoral process in Uganda. Any abuse of the rights of the citizens to vote and exercise their right will be documented for further prosecution down the line.
The Uganda Whistle Blowers Association (UWBA) is a non profit organ founded by Musa Majoba in 2016, as well as a few others whose key aims, is to right wrongs.
UWBA describes its mission as to fight the violation of rights and freedoms, abuse of authority and power, and public office mismanagement.
