February 18, 2021- Local journalists including Irene Abalo of The Daily Monitor, Shamim Nabakooza of Record TV, Rashida Nakaayi of Galaxy FM, Josephine Namakumbi of NBS were physically assaulted by the military police. The journalists were there to cover the filing of a petition from Bobi Wine, a runner-up in recent presidential elections. They were beaten while reporting outside the U.N. rights office in the capital, Kampala. CFWIJ condemns this inhumane torture on journalists and urges the Ugandan authorities to prosecute the perpetrators as per law. 

The journalists were admitted to the hospital for injuries they sustained in the attack. Irene Abalo of The Daily Monitor said that she had taken refuge in a car but soldiers followed her. The journalist was physically assaulted before she injured her leg. Multimedia journalist Culton Scovia Nakamya tweeted a picture of the officer who commanded the attack.
Shamim Nabakooza also shared about the horrific incident on Twitter saying, “So, @GovUganda @PoliceUg @OkothOchola1 are these beatings on journalists the solution to kidnaps or human rights violations? Myself, @NamakumbiJ @JCWamala @thomas_kitimbo have beaten by the military as we covered @HEBobiwine take a petition to @UNinUganda #Journalismisnotacrime.”

Ugandan military spokesperson Brig Flavia apologized about the incident on Twitter saying, “UPDF regrets that some journalists were injured as security carried out its duties. We maintain and will always respect our relationship with the media fraternity. UPDF further advises journalists on duty to always wear easily indentifiable press jackets.”  The statement is being widely criticized after the confirmation that it was indeed a military officer who ordered the soldiers to beat journalists. 

Multimedia journalist Culton Scovia Nakamya tweeted a picture of the officer who reportedly commanded the attack on the journalists. She said, “He commanded the attack on Journalists. 

His commander the CDF David Muhoozi simply issued an apology. We want such criminals brought to book. Stop the coverups. #JournalismIsNotACrime.”

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled by this harrowing physical assault on journalists. We call on Ugandan authorities to prosecute the officer and soldiers behind this attack in the court of law. We stand in solidarity with all the women journalists who faced the violence and lend them our full support.