Africa-Press – Uganda. JOURNALISTS | SECURITY
Incensed by the continued brutality meted out on them by police and other security personnel, journalists have in protest walked out of the security briefing this morning (Monday).
The journalists from different media houses walked out of the weekly briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala as a form of protest against continued brutality.The walk-out was at the time the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) political Commissar, Maj. Gen. Henry Masiko, had just started briefing them about the forthcoming 40th Tarehe Sita Day celebrations.Tarehe Sita, which means the ‘Sixth Day’ is celebrated on February 6 every year to mark the National Resistance Army’s (now UPDF’s) first attack on Kabamba barracks.
Several journalists have been brutalised while executing their duties and the most recent case involved three journalists in Masaka.They are; Ashraf Kasirye (Ghetto Media), Daniel Lutaaya (NBS TV) and Ali Mivule (NTV Uganda).The three scribes were injured during a fracas between security personnel and a team of National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine at Kyabakuza, 7km from Masaka town along the Masaka-Mbarara highway.Kasirye, who sustained a deep injury on the head, bled profusely before he was taken to Masaka Hospital in critical condition.
He was later transferred to Rubaga hospital.Several journalists’ organisations including; the Editors’ Guild and Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), have condemned the continued attacks on journalists, saying journalism is not a crime.
