KAMPALA – Several Ugandan media outlets, including NBS TV, NTV, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, PML Daily, UG Standard, BBS Terefayina, and Radio Simba, have withdrawn their journalists from covering the Kawempe North by-election due to a surge in attacks on reporters by security forces.
The decision comes after multiple incidents of violence and intimidation targeting journalists on duty, leaving some injured and others missing. Francis Isano, a photojournalist with Next Media, is currently hospitalized after being attacked while covering the election.
Three journalists from Nation Media Group – Abubaker Lubowa, Raymond Tamale, and Danis Kabugo – are missing after allegedly being taken away by security personnel, their whereabouts unknown.
The attacks on journalists have been ongoing since the nomination period, with Miracle, a journalist from Top TV, nearly losing an eye after being assaulted. Another journalist, Stephen from Spark TV, was brutally beaten while covering a visit by the Leader of Opposition to a home in Namere, where allegations of pre-ticked ballot papers had surfaced.
Journalists and media houses have condemned the violence on social media, calling for accountability from security agencies. Press freedom advocates argue that such violence threatens democracy by silencing the media and preventing the free flow of information.
The withdrawal of reporters from covering the election has raised concerns about transparency and the ability of citizens to receive unbiased information about the electoral process. Political players have expressed concerns that the absence of journalists may compromise the integrity of the election.
The Ugandan government has faced criticism over its treatment of journalists, with many accusing security forces of using excessive force against reporters. The attacks on journalists have sparked fears of a broader crackdown on press freedom in Uganda.
