By Jamirah Khassim
“Speak freely, and I’ll take your concerns directly to the top,” Colonel Edith Nakalema urged journalists during her visit to Next Media Park, calling for honest dialogue to mend fractured relations between the State and the media.
What followed was exactly that—frank, unapologetic demands from journalists who said they were tired of being sidelined, assaulted, and branded enemies of the State.
Paul Kayonga, a political producer at Next Media, was one of the first to respond. “We need to carry the right message back to the public,” he said.
“But how can we do that when security agencies attack us in the line of duty? When they force silence through fear?”
He pointed to incidents during by-elections where journalists were violently assaulted, highlighting the lasting damage to public trust and government credibility.
Health reporter Henry Mugenyi echoed the frustration. “The security agencies must acknowledge the impact of their actions,” he said.
“Perception shapes reality. Brutality doesn’t just affect us as individuals—it tells the public that truth is dangerous.”
The discussion, held at Uganda’s largest media house, exposed long-simmering tensions between journalists and the State.
Many journalists in the room challenged the increasingly common framing of media scrutiny as anti-government sentiment.
“People assume that when we criticise the government, it’s out of hatred,” Mugenyi said. “That’s false. We deal in facts, not fiction. Patriotism isn’t silence—it’s accountability.”
The session came on the heels of Col Nakalema’s earlier visit to the same newsroom, during which she apologised for security brutality against reporters—most notably the assault on journalists Francis Isaano and Timothy Kitimbo during the Kawempe North by-election.
“I take responsibility for the mistakes made by our forces,” Nakalema said at the time. “We apologize for the pain that may have been caused.” She praised Next Media CEO Kin Kariisa as a “national treasure” and offered herself as a direct channel between journalists and the country’s security establishment.
But at the follow-up dialogue, journalists made clear that goodwill statements must be followed by institutional reform.
“This isn’t just about one apology,” Kayonga said. “It’s about whether the State truly values the media as a pillar of democracy—or only when it suits their narrative.”
The meeting concluded with a shared recognition that the upcoming general elections will test the strength of Uganda’s democracy—and that a free, fearless press is non-negotiable.
Calls were made to improve access to government officials, support constructive storytelling, and address public concerns with honesty—not propaganda.
Journalists left with a unified message: their space must be respected, or the truth will continue to suffocate under the weight of power.