The continuous brutal attacks on journalists have pushed the media fraternity into imposing a temporary information boycott on Ugandan security forces.
This statement was originally published on hrnjuganda.org on 15 March 2025.
In a decisive action, the media owners, editors, and media associations in Uganda have slapped a total media coverage boycott on all security agencies, including the Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), with immediate effect.
This decision, announced at a joint press conference organized at Speke Hotel in Kampala, follows a rampage attack on journalists by security operatives while covering the Kawempe North by-elections on March 13, 2025.
At least 18 journalists were targeted and assaulted during the Kawempe North by-election, prompting the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA), Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda), the Uganda Editors’ Guild, the Uganda Media Women’s Association, Uganda Journalists Union and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) to take a stand.
“We have reached a decision to boycott activities of security agencies as a way of fighting back,” declared Sam Ibanda Mugabi, the President of the Uganda Parliament Press Association (UPPA).
“Going forward, we think journalists need safety and rights respected, but continued violation of rights is getting out of hand,” he added.
Moses Al Sayed Lubega, the president of the Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA), emphasized that the decision to announce a boycott was made collectively.
“We can no longer guarantee the safety of our colleagues in the field. We believe it is in the best interest of media houses and individual journalists to ensure safety,” he said.
Emmanuel Kirunda, the secretary-general for the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), stated that the boycott is meant to serve as a lesson to those perpetuating impunity.
“Our action has been informed by growing acts of impunity on journalists by security personnel. We are worried as impunity is at the highest in the country,” he said.
Robert Ssempala, the Executive Director of HRNJ-Uganda, delivered his organisation’s message and messages on behalf of the Editors’ Guild and NAB, saying that the ban was the only option to foster the safety of the journalists at the hands of the security forces.
“This is not the kind of journalism that the Uganda Constitution envisaged. The situation has turned from worse to worse since human lives are now at stake,” Ssempala said.
Ssempala added, “They always say journalists are not well-branded or did not have identification cards. This was not the case today. They always claim journalists were mistaken to be rioters, but this time round, there was no rioting.”
The boycott has received support from media proprietors and managers. Kin Kariisa, the owner of NBS TV, posted on X, “When the government turns newsrooms into enemies, it undermines the foundation of free press and democracy. Protect journalism, protect our motherland, Uganda.”
Daniel Kalinaki, head of Nation Media editorial and chairperson of the Editors’ Guild, stated on X, “We have taken the difficult decision to temporarily withdraw our Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda journalists from covering the Kawempe North by-election for their safety because they are being targeted and attacked by armed soldiers and undercover security operatives.”
Many other bodies, like the Uganda Human Rights Commission, civil society organisations, and Parliament, among others, have all come out to call for justice and an end to the brutality against journalists in Uganda.
The journalists’ associations have urged all stakeholders, including reporters, editors, managers, and owners, to support their efforts in fighting for media freedoms and journalists’ rights.
The boycott is a clear message to the security agencies that the media will no longer tolerate the brutal treatment of journalists.
As Robert Ssempala aptly put it, “This is a painful decision, but it will go a long way in serving a lesson to security agencies about ensuring the safety of journalists.”
The different groups demanded an apology from the security forces, bringing the perpetrators to justice, and a sit down with the security forces to discuss the plight and safety of the journalists during the coverage of elections.
