The UNESCO has organized a dialogue in Kampala that brought together 30 senior police officers and 13 journalists to strengthen working relationships and promote mutual respect for freedom of expression and human rights.
Senior police officials emphasized the importance of positive media-police relations, aiming to enhance safety and responsible reporting.
Last month, various journalists bodies including the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), Uganda Parliament Press Association (UPPA), Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA), and Human Rights Network for Journalists in Uganda (HRNJ), announced collective decision to boycott coverage of all security agency-related activities as a form of protest.
This is in response to the violence against journalists by security agencies during the Kawempe North By-election.
On the polling day April 13, 2025, several Journalists were attacked by security personnel, mainly from Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF and Police.
Those who were assaulted and injured include Abubaker Lubowa, Denis Kagubo, Raymond Tamale, and Hasifa Nanvuma all from the Nation Media Group (Daily Monitor, NTV, and Spark TV), Ibrahim Ruhweza and Isaac Nuwagaba both for the Government’s New Vision paper of the Vision Group, as well as Hakiima Wampamba and Francis Isano from Next Media.
The UPDF soldiers also damaged or confiscated many of their gadgets.
The by-election was won by Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola, the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, in a landslide, securing 17,764 votes, against his closest opponent Faridah Namabi Kigongo of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), who secured 8,593 votes
The byelection followed the death of former MP Muhammad Ssegirinya, whose passing left the seat vacant.
