Can Gen Muhoozi’s word be trusted?

The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen David Muhoozi PHOTO/ALEX ESAGALA

What you need to know:

  • On August 15, 2018, journalists, including NTV’s Herbert Zziwa were arrested and tortured by military personnel during a fracas that arose from the stoning of the President’s car but no action was taken.
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The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen David Muhoozi, yesterday apologised and pledged quick action against military police personnel, who beat up and injured  journalists covering National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, while delivering a petition to United Nations offices on Wednesday. 
The army yesterday said seven soldiers were prosecuted and convicted to sentences ranging from caution to 90 days detention. 

The battered journalists, who were unaware that the trial was being conducted, received the conviction of the soldiers that allegedly beat them up from Uganda People’s Defence Forces social media platforms. 
Gen Muhoozi said future attacks on journalists would stop after training soldiers on how to handle members of the fourth estate. 
However, he did not promise that attacks on media will not happen again.

Incidences of journalists being attacked
It is not the first time that soldiers have attacked journalists while on duty and Gen Muhoozi later apologised and promised action against perpetrators. 
On August 15, 2018, journalists, including NTV’s Herbert Zziwa were arrested and tortured by military personnel during a fracas that arose from the stoning of the President’s car. 
The army did not take action against their errant officers.   
Five days later, four other journalists, including James Akena, Ronald Galiwango, Juma Kirya and Alfred Ochwo, who were covering a protest  in Kampala City over the detention of Mr Kyagulanyi, were beaten by soldiers. 
The army apologised before promising to punish the soldiers that beat up the journalists. No soldier was held responsible for the action. 
On February 12, 2018, Mr Ivan Lubega, a journalist covering a land wrangle between residents and Kimaka Military Barracks, was attacked by soldiers and the incident was recorded on camera. 

Despite the evidence, no soldier was prosecuted. 
On August 31, 2018, NBS TV journalist Joshua Muyunga was beaten up by soldiers before they ordered him to delete the footage at Kamwokya in Kampala City. The army said they were unable to trace the attackers.
In 2019, the attacks on the journalists continued. At Makerere University, the military and police attacked journalists who were covering students’ protest on October 22, 2019. 
President Museveni ordered the army to leave the university and also prosecuted the attackers. The army later said they arrested the commander of the operation, but the progress of the case is still unknown.

Last year, during the enforcement of the coronavirus regulations, journalists were also attacked by Local Defence Unit personnel and soldiers. Daily Monitor’s Perez Rumanzi was beaten while he was covering the operation in Ntungamo District. The soldiers directed him to delete the footage. The military promised to follow up the case although nothing was done. 
During the general election, the attacks on journalists escalated. Security personnel instead accused journalists of allying with the Opposition to malign the ruling government. 


Unanswered questions
l Why hasn’t the overall commander of the Wednesday operation been charged?
l Who was the complainant in the UDC case?
l What evidence  did UDC rely on to convict the soldiers?
l Why were the tortured journalists not invited to testify and adduce necessary evidence to incriminate those culpable?
l Why does army treat the alleged act of torture  simply as a disciplinary matter?
l How does the Public confirm that  the convicted solders are indeed the ones responsible , and are in the prison barracks not home?