On Wednesday this week, a number of journalists were clubbed by the Military police as they went to cover the former National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine who had gone to the office of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights in Kololo, to present a petition against Government over gross human rights violation.
Some of the victims of the military brutality are; New Vision's Henry Ssekanjakko and Timothy Murungi, NTV's Cliff Wamala, Daily Monitor's Irene Abalo Otto, Shamim Nabakooza of Record TV, and Galaxy FM’s Nalule Amina. Other victims are NBS TV’s Josephine Namakumbi, Joseph Sabiti and Thomas Kitimbo.
On Thursday, the Chief of Defense Forces David Muhoozi came out and apologized to the media fraternity regarding the assault, noting that the culprits will be apprehended adding that the journalists who sustained injuries will be assisted in meeting their medical bills.
According to James Onen a.k.a Fatboy, a presenter of RX Radio, the act of apologising was a good one as it portrayed Muhoozi as gentle and calm human being with a degree of humanity but said apologising alone and paying the bills was not enough as these incidents have been happening over time.
“Muhoozi said that the officers were acting on their own orders and they will be apprehended. But then, he kind of defended them by saying that the Military officers thought the journalists were tress-passing as they had no tags or media Jackets which is true from the pictures, we saw but I do not believe that they did not know these were journalists as they had cameras," he said on Fridays The Fatboy Show.
Olive noted that the military officers are known to be very disciplined and follow orders emphasising that it's hard to believe that the said officers would operate outside the rules of engagement like the army chief highlighted. She also scoffed at the offer by the army to treat whoever was affected by the assault.
“It's like giving me poisoned food and offer to give me free treatment. That’s just disrespectful and nerve wracking. Reports indicate that the soldiers first smashed MP-elect Derrick Nyeko's car windows, drove away and returned after a while. This time, to beat-up the journalists. Could it be that someone gave them that order? If that's the case, that person should be punished,’’ Olive said.
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The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy and Oliver Najjuma every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.
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