UHRC asks journalists who were assaulted during Bobi Wine’s arrival to file complaints

Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission-UHRC, Mariam Wangadya, has asked journalists who were assaulted on Thursday when covering the arrival of National Unity Platform-NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi, to file complaints with the commission.

While addressing journalists at the Jinja Regional Human Rights Office in Jinja City on Friday, Wangadya said that journalists should freely register complaints of human rights violations and the commission will carry out investigations.

According to the Human Rights Network for Journalists-HRNJ, more than 14 journalists were arrested and a number of others beaten, and their gadgets including phones and cameras confiscated in a military-led operation at Katabi along Entebbe Road and Mpererwe in Kampala.

The journalists include Joseph Balikuddembe (CBS), Julius Kitone (NBS TV), Isano Francis (NBS TV), Jjengo Eria (Baba TV), Yiga Nasser (Baba TV), Musana Robert (Nexus Media), Richard Olwenyi (NBS TV). Others were Kyambadde Emma (Lujjuliro Online), David Tamale (Bukedde TV), Mugenyi Ronald, Swaburah Owomukisa, Kenneth Kaweesa (NBS TV), Moses Katumba (NBS TV) and Mariam Nagadya (Baba TV) among others.

The journalists were later released, however, a number of them accused security personnel of assaulting them.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango said that journalists did not have identification and the security personnel thought that they were part of the NUP supporters.

Wangadya says that she has yet to get a detailed report of what transpired.

Wangadya has, however, expressed dismay about journalists who are fond of withdrawing complaints from the commission prematurely, before the conclusion of investigations.

“We are advocates of peaceful settlements and it is our prayer for all queries to be settled amicably, however, the journalists who largely file complaints lose interest in the cases after settling them out with the offenders, but none of them alerts the commission,” she says.

Jackie Nambogga, the chairperson of Busoga Media Association-BUSOMA said that journalists should be at the forefront of pursuing cases against their perpetrators.

Nambogga said that the successful prosecution of human rights violators either through courts of law or UHRC tribunals, will scare away perpetrators of torture against journalists.

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