By Mukembo Fred
Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) has condemned the battering of journalists by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) military police soldiers at the United Nations office of the Human rights commissioner in Kololo.
In the statement issued by the UJA deputy spokesperson Daniel Mumbere, UJA is extremely irritated and frustrated by the persistent attacks on journalists by security officers.
” UJA is extremely irritated and frustrated by the persistent attacks on journalists by security officers, the latest being a brutal and bloody attack on journalists covering the presentation of a petition by the former presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi to the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC).” read a statemnt i parts.
The association committed to seek justice for the assaulted journalists.
“We are working with all journalists that have been assaulted, their employers and other stakeholders to seek redress; legal and otherwise, and we will not stop until the rule of law and an environment that enables peaceful and responsible practice of journalism in Uganda has been restored.” read a statement in parts.
On Wednesday afternoon, eight journalists, including New Vision’s Timothy Murungi and Henry Sekanjako, Nation Media’s John Cliff Wamala and Irene Abalo, NBS TV’s Thomas Kitimbo, Josephine Namakumbi and Joseph Sabiti, and Galaxy FM’s Amina Nalule, were battered by the military and sustained nasty injuries at the UN offices in Kololo as they cover NUP president Kyagulanyi hand over a petition to the UN human rights body.
UJA further expressed dismay over the security organs’ failure to fulfill their commitments of safe guarding journalists.
“This attack is a continuation of unprecedented illegal assaults and brutality against journalists performing their constitutionally mandated duty of keeping the public informed.
While we have engaged the security agencies on the issue of guaranteeing the safety of journalists, our efforts have been shamelessly and rudely ignored.” read a statement in parts
