Journalists, under their umbrella body, the Uganda Journalists Association have announced a boycott of all Police activities following the Force’s highhandedness during Makerere University protests.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, UJA president Bashir Kazibwe said it is high time journalists boycotted the force’s activities due to brutality against them.
“We should not continue giving them publicity when at the same time they are at the helm of brutalizing, beating, maiming and nearly killing members of the fourth estate,”Kazibwe said.
To show that they really mean every single word they say, journalists today boycotted a press conference organised by police and Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) ahead of Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
Deputy police spokesperson Polly Namaye, who represented the force, was shunned after the journalists refused to cover her speech.
On Wednesday, two journalists of Nation Media Group – Uganda were hospitalized after they were injured as security agencies quelled a protest at Makerere University against the 15 per cent tuition fees increment.
Other journalists from KFM and NBS TV among others were also brutalized.
However, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango claimed that journalists were distant from Police officers and got caught up in the teargas mere.
“We always advise journalists that in this kind of operation they should move near us because teargas does not discriminate,” Onyango said.
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