When journalists become the story, democracy dies in deep darkness

As voters in Kawempe North headed to the polls, journalists also took up cameras, pens, and notebooks to document what promised to be a fiercely contested election.

On election day, I scrolled on X to follow updates from polling stations via the Daily Monitor, NTV, and various on-ground reporters, anticipating comprehensive coverage of the unfolding democratic exercise.

However, to my dismay, social media was dominated by distressing reports: journalists were being beaten by security operatives. 

The hashtag #JournalismIsNotACrime trended on X, as reporters shared firsthand accounts of unjust treatment while media houses and various people decried the escalating abuses.

Then came a post on X by Mr Daniel Kalinaki, Nation Media Group’s General Manager for Editorial, announcing that the media house had decided to temporarily withdraw its journalists from covering the elections for their own safety.

The irony was cruel, those entrusted to cover the election in Kawempe North became the headlines on various news platforms. This shift not only deprived citizens of their right to know but also left the public in the dark until the final results were announced.

Such unfortunate scenes are a threat to our democracy. When journalists who are playing their watchdog role are targeted through physical assaults and intimidation, the essential watchdog role of the press is undermined. 

A silenced media creates a dangerous void where misinformation can spread unchecked, and the mechanisms of accountability are effectively blunted.

It is imperative that government institutions take decisive steps to safeguard press freedom. Protecting journalists is not merely about individual safety. It is about defending our democracy from sliding into a state of opaque governance and unchallenged authority. 

Journalism is not a crime; it is the beacon that keeps the light of truth and accountability burning in our society.

Marvin Twiinawe [email protected]