Journalists announce police coverage boycott
Sam Ibanda Mugabi, President of Uganda Parliamentary Press Association has defended the decision by Parliamentary journalists to impose a media blackout on all security agencies.
The Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) has boycotted coverage of Uganda Police Force after the Minister of Internal Affairs, Kahinda Otafiire refused to apologize for the brutality meted on journalists during the Kawempe by-elections, saying when one reaches Jesus, they don’t need a Bishop to plead on their behalf, arguing that President Museveni made a statement regarding that matter, and thus, he as a bishop has nothing else to add.
This followed demands by Lutamaguzi Ssemakula, the MP forNakaseke South, who demanded the Minister to apologize to the journalists in Uganda, for the brutality and abduction inflicted upon some members of the Fourth Estate, demands Otafiire rejected saying he was away in Zimbabwe when the Kawempe by-elections chaos happened.
“My colleague, the Minister of State, addressed Parliament, I’m told, and he ably put our position, and the President has also made a position, and we are bound by collective responsibility to follow the statement of the Chief Executive. So if you have any questions, after the statement of the Chief Executive, I think you’d better refer those questions to the Chief Executive, because we are bound by collective Cabinet responsibility, and he’s the Chair of the Cabinet. So I can’t put any other position other than the position of the Chief Executive,” said Minister Otafiire.
Sam Ibanda Mugabi, President of Uganda Parliamentary Press Association has defended the decision by Parliamentary journalists to impose a media blackout on all security agencies, until an assurance is issued by Gov’t on the safety of journalists and ensure the brutality inflicted on journalists in Kawempe by-elections is never repeated against anyone in Uganda.
