Gerald Kankya, an activist working with the Twerwaneho Listeners Club (TLC), a community based governance organization in Fort-Portal, Western Uganda and a host of other activists were allegedly attacked, assaulted and battered by about 30 club wielding men along Lugard Road in Fort Portal town on the afternoon of 23rd January 2015.
Kankya says that as he returned from a lunch break with two other friends, a gang of men, clad in Queen Mother Best Kemigisa Nursery, Primary and Vocational Schools traffic reflector jackets, accosted them in the presence and on orders of the Fort Portal District Police commander Kahebwa Geoffrey and another police officer identified as Rwatooro.
“We tried to run towards Voice of Tooro radio station thinking that the presence of many people would prevent the men from attacking us.” Kankya narrated
However he says “Before we could move inside the radio station, the gang of men grabbed me, hit me with their clubs, some boxed me, repeatedly kicked me, and attempted to grab a file I had in my hand which contained a number of TLC documents.”
“During the scuffle, all my colleagues were too scared and ran away leaving me on the ground swarmed by the gang of men. The people around responded by attempting to attack the men who had hit me several times.”
Kankya sustained bruises and a loose tooth. He reported the matter to the police at Fort Portal under case reference number 38/23/01/2015. He was then given a police medical form to take to a government regional hospital for examination and medication.
It is alleged that on returning the form to police, the officers refused to record his statement claiming they were under strict orders from the DPC not to record a statement from him or anyone from TLC on charges related to assault.
When contacted the DPC Kahebwa, denied being involved in the incident
“Did Kankya say that I beat him up? If he was beaten by police officers, I am responsible, but if he was beaten by his fellow thugs and fools like him, then I am not accountable. In fact he is the one who beat up people because we have assault complaints against him”.
The Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda has condemned the DPC’s response to the querry.
“It is unfortunate that the DPC feels no sense of accountability or responsibility in this matter. We call upon the police leadership to ensure that Kankya’ statement is recorded and full scale investigations commissioned into this matter.” reads the statement from HRNJ- Uganda that Ultimate Multimedia Consult has seen.
Whereas the Uganda Police Force is mandated to keep law and order, to protect persons and their property, in the recent past the police has been battering the very people it is supposed to protect. The victims of this objectionable trend in Uganda’s Police Force have been majorly journalists and Human Rights Activists.
Earlier in January 2015, while covering a youth protest organized by National Association of the Unemployed against the newly enacted Public Order Management law, WBS Cameraman Andrew Lwanga was battered to a point of unconsciousness by the Old Kampala District Police Commander Jorum Mwesigye and was rushed to Mulago Hospital for treatment. Another scribe Jospeh Ssetimba of Bukedde Television escaped with minor injuries.