Soldiers brutalise journalists again
Thursday April 29 2021
The Defense and army spokesperson, Brig Flavia Byekwaso, told Daily Monitor that she wasn’t aware of the incident and could not, therefore, comment.
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The beating of a pregnant journalist alongside another reporter yesterday by members of Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) has put to test the seriousness of the military’s promise to improve relations with the media.
Ms Teddy Nakaliga, a reporter with NTV and Spark TV, and Mr Amon Kayanja of Salt TV, were yesterday assaulted by Military Police personnel while covering a demonstration by residents protesting a two-week power blackout in Kayunga Village, Wakiso District.
Amon Kayanja of Salt Media and Nakaliga Teddy of Spark TV were beaten up by the military while on duty and their gadgets including camera and phone destroyed.
According to the Executive Director of Uganda Journalist Network, Robert Ssempala, the reporters sustained injuries and are currently being assessed by medical personnel.
Adventists Media Association has also condemned the assault, which comes a week after the media engagement between security and the media.
Joshua Musasizi Nsubuga the associations’ president said that this is an indication that security is not committed to improving the working relationship with the media.
Security is yet to comment on the matter. In the engagement, the UPDF army leadership committed to improving the relationship.
Yet another Ugandan journalist has reportedly been tortured at the hands of security operatives.
The Daily Monitor reports that Enoch Matovu, who is NTV’s correspondent in Mityana District, Kampala,was on Thursday night battered by security operatives who attacked him on his way home.
Matovu says he was on his way home with his 10-year-old daughter during curfew hours when soldiers moving in a double cabin vehicle called him by name, and then pounced on him.
The operatives, he says, covered his daughters’ eyes and then beat him to the extent that his limbs were sprained, in what appears to be a coordinated and targeted attack on him as a journalist.