Police brutality photo wins journalism award

Kampala. The shot is that of a police officer ruthlessly dragging an unarmed Makerere University guild president Papa Were Salim.
The image, which portrays the commotion that lasted about 10 minutes against an unarmed civilian, is the overall winner of the 2018 Uganda Press Photo Award (UPPA) competition, announced at a gala at The Square Place in Industrial Area, Kampala, on Thursday night.
The picture by Daily Monitor’s Alex Esagala depicts a demonstration in June by Makerere University students opposed to the proposed increment of tuition in some courses by as high as 100 per cent and ending the provision of free meals to students on government sponsorship.

Getting the photo
Mr Esagala, 26, had to follow the heavily armed police officers from the Main Building where the demonstrators started their march. Were, then a fourth year Veterinary Medicine student, was picked from the School of Psychology and dragged by three police officers as another helped keep away those that attempted to rescue him.
Mr Esagala kept in company of police, who scattered other demonstrators by firing teargas and live ammunition.
His goal was to show the kind of unprofessionalism of the Uganda Police and how they violate rights.
By instinct, he set the camera in rapid mode, taking as many shots as possible. At times, he could not open his eyes but simply aimed the camera in the direction of the commotion as many people, even journalists, were forced to retreat.

The magical shot
Mr Esagala’s perseverance eventually paid off with his unique photos, which Judge Yasuyoshi Chiba, said was “a perfect example of a press photo image.”
“A pulled tie stretched by the force of police officer, a smoke of tear gas in the background, the widely opened mouth of resisting student - details of this single photo make us stop to think,” Chiba said.
Mr Esagala told Daily Monitor that he was honoured to receive the award.
“I am happy that this particular image won but I am saddened that the police officers are yet to be brought to book,” he said.
Mr Esagala, who has worked for the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent newspaper as chief parliamentary photojournalist, also won the 2017 photojournalism award organised by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME).
Mr Esagala is proud of his mentor, Mr Dominic Bukenya, who he says helps him select the best images to present.
Mr Bukenya is Daily Monitor’s multimedia editor.
Mr Esagala was rewarded with a professional-level Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR camera kit among other prizes.
Mr Michael Kakumirizi, another Daily Monitor photojournalist, received honourable mention in the news category, which Mr Esagala won, while Mr Abubaker Lubowa was runner-up in the same category.