The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) expressing its dissatisfaction with the continuous assault and brutal attacks on media personnel by security forces in the country.
The move followed an incident that took place on Tuesday where Police turned their anger on journalists covering a press conference of the medical interns and senior house officers (SHOs).
The journalists were pepper sprayed, temporarily blinding some of them, and causing them a lot of pain.
Among the journalists who faced it rough at the hands of police included Thomas Kitimbo, a video journalist working for NBS television and Francis Isaano, a photographer.
The chairman of the association, Kin Kariisa said despite their previous efforts to address this issue regarding the assault and the brutal attack of journalists, the situation has not improved.
He said journalists continue to be subjected to such attacks by police.
“We wrote to you on 28th December 2020, expressing our concerns about the incidents of assaults on media personnel in the country. We also agreed to work together to address the issue, but unfortunately, the attacks continued,” he said in the letter dated April 2023.
Kariisa said they engaged the head of the security forces on this matter and even organised a goodwill football match as a symbol of a new beginning with the security forces but officers have continued to brutalise and attack journalists.
According to Kariisa, on February 2, 2022, they wrote to IGG following an assault on NBS Television Journalists, Edward Kinseki, and Samalie Kisakye by police officer Kiddawime and his colleagues while extorting money from boda boda cyclists.
“We requested that the officer and his colleagues be held accountable, and you assigned I.O D/IP Bamulanzeki Patrick to handle the matter. Our journalists were requested to make statements at the Police Professional Unit, but to date, there has been no closure, and those responsible for the assault have not been held accountable,” he said.
“Yesterday, 11th April 2023, we received reports that our journalists were once again assaulted while on duty by one Police officer PC Ogwal No.49563 while his comrades stood by without intervening, causing us great concern and disappointment,” he added.
Kariisa has requested IGP to bring the officers responsible for these attacks to book and hold those who beat up journalists accountable.
“The media plays a critical role in promoting democracy and ensuring that citizens are informed about the happenings in the country. Therefore, it is essential to safeguard the rights of journalists and protect them from harm while on duty,” he said.
Kariisa also wrote to the Ministry of Internal Affairs over the same matter.
“On behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters of Uganda, we write to request a meeting with you to address the continued assault and brutal attacks on media personnel by the Uganda Police Force,” he said in a separate letter seen by the Nile Post.
In the letter, Kariisa explained that media personnel have continued to be subjected to various forms of attacks while on duty, including physical assault and harassment.
Despite their previous efforts as NAB to address this issue, Kariisa further said the situation has not improved, and the journalists continue to be at risk of harm.
“We are, therefore, requesting for a meeting with you and the relevant parties especially the IGP to discuss this matter and explore possible solutions to ensure the safety and security of media personnel in the country,” said Kariisa in the letter copied to the President, Speaker of Parliament and the Executive Director, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)
He maintained that it is essential to safeguard the rights of journalists and protect them from harm while on duty.
Kariisa noted that the media plays a critical role in promoting democracy and ensuring that citizens are informed about the happenings in the country.
