In a disturbing incident, police officers in Kampala, Uganda, damaged a video camera belonging to a BBS TV journalist while they were covering a peaceful protest to the Kenyan High Commission by FDC Katonga faction members on August 5, 2024.
The incident occurred when FDC leaders, who had initially planned a press conference, decided to march to the Kenyan High Embassy to deliver a petition to register their disappointment with the way 36 of their members were arrested while attending a leadership training in Kisumu on July 23rd, 2024.
The journalists, who were assigned to cover the press conference, began filming the unexpected procession. However, police officers started chasing and arresting the FDC leaders, and upon realizing the journalists were filming, turned on them.
Thomas Kitimbo (NBS TV) and Ronald Galiwango (NTV-Uganda) were beaten, while another journalist, Amon Kitamirike (BBS TV), had his camera damaged and his press jacket torn. Kitamirike believes this was a deliberate scheme to kill the evidence of the violent crackdown of civic action to the detriment of journalists’ rights, which is a blow to the efforts of journalists to relay information to the wider public.
“We started filming their [FDC leaders] march to Kenyan High Commission until somewhere where Police Officers started chasing them one by one as they arrested all. In the process, they realized that we were filming them thus turning on us. They beaten Kitimbo, and Galiwango” Kitamirike told HRNJ-Uganda.
He added, “as they pounced on the two journalists, police officers realized that I was filming them he jumped over and beat my camera which damaged its screen I held him so that he could be identified. I believe the police officer intended the camera destruction to stop the capturing of the damaging videos because he was fighting with my colleagues.”
This incident is not an isolated event, as police have a history of clashing with journalists in Uganda. HRNJ-Uganda Executive Director, Robert Ssempala, condemned the police actions, stating, “Police must respect journalists’ rights to cover protests without fear of assault or intimidation. We demand that the police replace the damaged gadgets and take measures to prevent such incidents by reprimanding the culprit police officer.”
The incident raises concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists in Uganda. The police must recognize journalists’ crucial role in documenting public events, including protests.
