Kasooha, a freelance with the New Vision and Kagadi Kibaale Community Radio (KKCR) was reportedly hit with stones by rowdy students who also pelted stones at their teachers.

The irate students staged a violent strike on July 19^th 2011 accusing their teachers of harassing them, giving them corporal punishments and failing to account for the examination fees.

The students claimed that they paid Uganda Shillings 5,000 equivalent to US $ 2 for Mock exams but were surprised when the school gave them past papers of some schools from Mukono district.

The strike has led to the closure of the school until the causes of the strike are addressed by the concerned authorities as a number of innocent people fallen victims of circumstances.

“The stones hit me on the chest and stomach. I fell down in pain and was rescued by Anti Riot police led by Daniel Omara, the OC of Muhorro Police station” said Kasooha.

He said he was rushed to a clinic in Kagadi town where he attained medical treatment. “It’s a pity that journalists in Uganda continue to suffer acts of violence with impunity from primary beneficiaries of media work who are supposed to protect them,” Kasooha said

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Musisi 37, a resident of Nabusanke, Nkozi Sub county Mpigi district was charged with publishing false news on 24^th/March/2011 by Buwama Grade II magistrate court.

Charge came after Musisi had been arrested and detained at Buwama police station for more than 24 hours.

Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) with partners Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) hired a lawyer from Mukiibi, Kawooya and Onyango and Company advocates to challenge the defective publishing false news charge

The lawyers argued that the Supreme Court Judge J.N. Mulenga in 2004 declared the law on publishing false news unconstitutional saying that it was exerting unacceptable chilling effect on the freedom of expression.

Appearing before the Buwama grade II magistrate Noah Muwonge , Francis Onyango a lawyer representing Musisi argued that by the time of charging Musisi there was no offence called publishing false news in our law books which makes it non-existing.

He added that the constitutional provision which calls for any criminal offence to be defined and punishment prescribed in our law books was abused by the state.

It’s on that basis that magistrate Muwonge dismissed the case saying all subordinate courts of the highest court in the land the Supreme Court are supposed to be bound to its decisions.

Ultimate Media

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More than a dozen of journalists have been physically attacked including being shot, intimidated, arbitrarily arrested and detained, restrictions imposed on their movements and assaulted since the ‘Walk to Work’ campaign begun.

The Walk to Work campaign is an initiative of opposition political parties and activists protesting high fuel and commodity prices.

In the media stakeholders’ crisis meeting organized by Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) at Grand Imperial hotel Kampala, journalists under their six organizations condemned the increasing violence against frontline journalists on duty by security apparatus

Article 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda states that “No person shall be subjected to any form of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”

Organizations namely; Uganda News Paper Publishers’ and Editors Association, Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda, Uganda Journalists Association, Uganda Parliamentary Press Association, Uganda Media Development Foundation and Editors’ Forum unanimously agreed that the right to press freedom and freedom of expression were under attack.

Journalists observed that attacks are systematic which are intended to destroy evidence of abuses committed by military police against civilians and majority journalists were barred from accessing Entebbe International Airport on both 11^th and 12^th/May/2011.

Mulindwa Mukasa a reporter with Wavah Broadcasting Service (WBS) TV is one of the victims who sustained injuries on his left arm. He testified that he was assaulted before his camera was forcefully confiscated while filming anti riot and military police dispersing Dr. Besigye’s supporters using live ammunition and tear-gas.

Several photojournalists’ equipments were confiscated by both military police and Uganda Police Force. These include, Joseph Mary Buule a reporter with a state owned television Uganda Broadcasting Service (UBC), Stephen Otage a photojournalist with the Daily Monitor, a freelance journalist Francis Tumwekwasize, Ayebare Allan a photojournalist with the Razor new paper, Michael Kakumirizi a photojournalist with the Red pepper. He sustained a big cut on his head, Eddie Ssejjoba a photo journalists with the New Vision, Robert Mutebi a photojournalist with Bukedde News Paper and Luswa Anatooli a photojournalist with Eddoboozi news paper

Other journalists who were assaulted are Mercy Nalugo a reporter with the Daily Monitor, Gideon Tugume a reporter with Capital fm, Simon Njala Kagwa a reporter with radio One, Nasser Kayanja a reporter with radio Simba lost his recorder.

Journalists unanimously resolved to blackout all press conferences at government manned Uganda Media Center, activities of the police and the Uganda People’s Defence Force.

Uganda Media Center is the government’s mouthpiece and organizes press conferences for all government departments.

Journalists are set to petition president Museveni on Monday the 16^th/May/2011 demanding for immediate release of all journalists’ tools of trade and replacement of all damaged equipments.

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Uganda Information and national Guidance Minister, Kabakumba Masiko

This was revealed by Arthur Larok, the Programmes Director of NGO Forum while addressing journalists in Kampala on Monday. He says the NGOs in Uganda are concerned that restriction on press freedom and journalists will negatively impact on the work of the civil society and thereby stifle the NGO’s contribution to Uganda’s development.

Larok says the NGO forum will officially petition Parliament not to pass the proposed bill with its restrictive provisions and to express solidarity with journalists in Uganda who have expressed dissatisfaction with government’s proposed legislation on media freedoms.

The Uganda minister for Information and National Guidance, Princess Kabakumba Masiko has proposed the Press and Journalist Statute Amendment bill which among others requires newspapers to be licensed every year after scrutinizing how they have been reporting. It also requires media houses to hire professional journalists and ensure registration of the journalists with the government regulatory body, the Uganda Media Council.

Journalists in Uganda have criticized the new amendments as aimed at stifling the media freedoms, arguing it will make journalists to report in fear of government action of closing their media houses.

Larok says when the press in the country works under threat, it also stifles the work of civil society organizations. He says a free, civil and responsible media is an important building block for democracy and development in Uganda, adding that a free media helps NGOs achieve their objectives.

The proposed bill is still being discussed by cabinet before it is presented before Uganda’s Parliament.

By Ultimate Media

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