As Uganda counts down the days to its general election, attacks against members of the press by security forces are on the rise.
Journalists, especially those covering opposition candidates and anti-government protests have been arrested, beaten or had their equipment confiscated or destroyed by the police.
One press freedom watchdog says it has documented over 100 attacks since November when presidential nominations were held.
“These have been deliberate attacks where some officers have even warned journalists to shoot at them and have gone ahead to shoot at them occasioning injuries on them. This has never happened during an election in Uganda. We’ve not had a time as now when the deliberate attacks are not even condemned by the security leadership. The president has severally come out to attack the media as working for foreign agents, as being partisan, as promoting interests of the political opposition in the country, and of course the voice of the president is so strong that it pushes the security forces to act immediately on the journalists”, said national coordinator of Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ), Robert Ssempala.
Activists say security forces have enjoyed impunity for crimes against journalists.
In December, journalists in Kampala – some wearing bulletproof vests – staged a walkout from a government press conference in protest after two colleagues were shot covering opposition rallies.
One of the victims, Ashraf Kasirye is still recovering in hospital after he was hit in the head with a teargas cannister.
