Journalists proved to Uganda Security organs that Journalism is an important state that needs maximum respect when they walked out of the the press briefing held by Joint security organs at Uganda Media Centre- Kampala.
As usual, the Security organs mostly police have been holding press briefing every Monday of the week and they thought even today will be the business as usual little they they know that journalists want them to publicly apologize for their (Security organs) unprofessional acts against journalists especially those covering opposition political parties candidates.
When Brig. Gen Henry Masiko, the UPDF chief political commissar started addressing media about their Tarehe Sita celebrations, journalists asked him to first apologize for the brutality their officers put against journalists in field before addressing his issues. Arrogantly the CPC replied them that they should also act professionally and he refused to apologize.
This made furious journalists to switch off their cameras and walked out claiming that when the Security get to know the importance of journalists in this country, they will get back to cover them.
But before leaving, a journalists in names of Gabriel Buule who only a few days ago had been bedridden for two weeks after being battered on November 18, 2020 by members of the Local Defense Unit (LDU) while dispersing riots that resulted from the arrest of Bobi Wine in Luuka district said he was disturbed d by what seems to be the arrogance of the security officers.
“They deducted my money in form of taxes every month to pay them to protect us but instead they batter us. Journalism is not a crime. We are simply doing our jobs and showing the world events as they are,” Mr Buule said before adding.
“Afande we no longer play sex, that’s important, my wife is a 26year old girl, I was beaten by people who are supposed to protect us, Afande we love you so much but we are tired.”
Another journalist, Abubaker Lubowa said security officer have categorized journalists into two groups; bad and good.
“When you cover opposition, they describe you as a bad journalist. When you cover NRM or president Musveni’s events then you’re a good journalist. For how long shall we continue like this? What do they want us to do?” Mr Lubowa lamented.
Before this happened, yesterday the Ghetto Media TV journalist, Ashraf Kasirye was shot by a teargas canister on head while in Masaka and he is currently in ICU at Lubaga hospital, NTV journalist and Daniel Lutaaya are also nursing injuries and the ones who beaten them told them that they are collateral damage.