NBS TV has demanded that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force, and the Electoral Commission provide explanations for their actions and ensure that those responsible for assaulting journalists while covering the Kawempe North By-Election are held accountable.
In a statement ,the station also called on the Uganda Human Rights Commission and media rights organizations to take swift action to protect journalists and safeguard press freedom in the country.
“We will not be silenced,” the statement read.
The station also condemned the brutal assault, arrest, and intimidation of its journalists during the Kawempe North By-Election on Thursday.
NBS TV claims that its team including photojournalist Francis Isano, cameraman Hassan Wasswa, and reporter Hakim Wampamba was deliberately targeted by security personnel while on assignment.
In the incident, Isano sustained injuries from the assault and was hospitalized, raising concerns about the safety of journalists in Uganda.
The media house also reported that several other journalists from different outlets were physically assaulted, with some arrested and detained in unmarked vehicles. Additionally, their equipment was confiscated.
“NBS TV is outraged by this unprovoked attack on our journalists, who were simply carrying out their duties. No journalist should be harmed for doing their job,” the statement read.
The television station called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained journalists, the return of their confiscated equipment, and urgent medical attention for those injured.
NBS TV also raised serious concerns about the tactics employed by the authorities, including the use of unmarked vehicles, which they argue is a violation of press freedom.
The station emphasized that such actions undermine the integrity of the electoral process, stressing that a free press is a fundamental pillar of democracy.
The attack on the journalists has sparked widespread concern across the media industry, with other media houses and press freedom advocates joining in condemning the actions.
As of now, the authorities have not issued a formal response regarding the incident.
Reports indicate that four journalists were assaulted and arrested by security forces.
The journalists Isano , Raymond Tamale of NTV, Dennis Kabugo, and Abubaker Lubowa of Daily Monitor were detained by security operatives while reporting in the area.
Sources confirmed that the journalists were forcibly taken away in a drone vehicle, raising concerns about the mode of transport and the nature of the assaults.
Three other journalists David Ijjo of NTV, Hassan Wasswa of NBS TV, and Hakim Wampamba of NBS TV narrowly escaped the ordeal.
Eyewitnesses suggest that the journalists were specifically targeted by security forces while covering various polling stations across the constituency.
While the full details of the assaults remain unclear, reports indicate that the journalists were subjected to physical abuse before being detained.
The Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA), the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), and media watchdogs have condemned the attacks, calling for accountability and stronger protections for the press.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has pledged to investigate the allegations of media suppression.
As the government has yet to comment on the growing concerns, media rights groups warn that continued repression could undermine public trust in the electoral process.