A policeman pepper-sprays journalists as they covered the arrest of pre-medical interns who attempted to march to Parliament over the delayed commencement of medical internship in 2023. Although press freedom is guaranteed under Uganda's Constitution, it is severely restricted by many laws. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
On February 13, journalists covering the Kawempe North by-elections were violently attacked by security forces. This incident marked a new low in Uganda’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.
Journalists Abubaker Lubowa from Daily Monitor, Raymond Tamale, Hasifah Nanvuma, and Denis Kabugo from NTV, as well as Francis Isano and Hakim Wampamba from NBS Television, were among those severely beaten by both uniformed and plain-clothed security personnel.
Mr David Ijjo from NTV, who escaped with the help of roadside chappati vendors, said it was one of the most terrifying moments of his career as a journalist.
“When the security forces started beating journalists, I ran to the other side, and NUP supporters pulled me from among the other journalists. They then took me to the chapatti sellers who told me to leave my bulletproof press jacket and anything that would identify me as a journalist with them. That is how I survived,” he narrated.
The violent actions by security forces drew widespread condemnation from Ugandans across various sectors. What happened in Kawempe is a reflection of what has been going on—and what is likely to happen during the 2025/2026 election campaigns.
Security forces are playing a growing role in silencing citizens and limiting their rights, especially freedom of expression and press freedom. The continued violence against journalists has been highlighted in both the global press freedom index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the local index by the Human Rights Network for Journalists–Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda). In the latest 2025 global rankings, Uganda is placed at 143 out of 180 countries, making it one of only seven African countries in the red zone for press freedom.
“Journalists in Uganda face intimidation and violence on a nearly daily basis. They are regularly targeted by the security services, the leading perpetrators of attacks against reporters in the country. Seven African countries are now in the bottom quarter of the Index. Uganda (143rd), Ethiopia (145th), and Rwanda (146th) have moved into the "very serious" category this year,” the 2025 global press freedom index report stated.
In 2024, Uganda appeared to make some progress when it moved up to 128th place on the global press freedom index, improving from 132nd in 2023.
However, the HRNJ–Uganda report noted that despite the slight improvement, press freedom in Uganda was still under heavy pressure, mainly due to government crackdowns, rising political tensions, and growing hostility toward journalists.
“The Ugandan media landscape has long been a battleground where journalists must navigate threats, intimidation, and legal restrictions while upholding their duty to inform the public,” the report said.
According to the global press freedom index, Uganda has 301 radio stations, over 30 television channels, two daily newspapers, and one weekly paper. The report also noted that while many media houses are privately owned, the government still holds strong influence, especially over outlets run by politicians, businesspeople, or religious leaders linked to the ruling party.
“The political situation has a strong influence on journalism in Uganda. Journalists who demand accountability from the government are either pushed out of their jobs with no legal procedure, or are forced to censor themselves or run stories favourable to the authorities. President Museveni does not tolerate criticism and often subjects the media to hateful comments, as do his allies,” the report reads in part.
It added: “In 2023, he claimed to have sent people to “monitor” the Daily Monitor, the country’s leading daily newspaper, which he already had threatened to push into bankruptcy in 2021. The situation has been aggravated by the emergence of Museveni’s son as a political and military actor who does not hesitate to threaten journalists he regards as critical. The media regulator is directly controlled by the government.”
The report stated that although press freedom is guaranteed under Uganda’s Constitution, it is severely restricted by many laws, including those related to digital fraud, anti-terrorism, and public order. In 2021, the Constitutional Court rejected a challenge by journalists’ associations that aimed to remove harsh sections of the country’s media law. The report also noted that while Uganda has a law granting access to public information, journalists still face major challenges when trying to obtain data that serves the public interest.
“In October 2022, the President signed a bill amending the Computer Misuse Act and criminalising, among other things, the publication of “fake news”, but the Constitutional Court struck down this provision in early 2023,” it stated. On the economic front, the report says journalists are among the country’s worst-paid professionals, where employment contracts are rare, and only a few reporters earn more than $200 (Shs727,428) a month.
“Their financial insecurity makes them susceptible to corruption,” the report states.
With the proliferation of the media industry in the country, several media outlets belong to religious groups have emerged, some of which are closely aligned with the government such as the Pentecostal movement, which includes the President’s wife and daughter among its members.
The report says journalists, especially those who criticise the authorities and the country’s human rights record, face a range of reprisals that include violence, abduction, arrest and confiscation of equipment.
“Yoweri Museveni’s re-election for a sixth term in 2021 followed an especially oppressive election campaign that saw more than 40 attacks against media outlets and journalists. The pursuit of journalists has increased since the creation, in June 2017, of a unit of security officers and high-tech experts responsible, among other things, for monitoring journalists’ profiles on social media. Reporters are also often subjected to targeted attacks during protests and political events,” the report says.
HRNJ Uganda report
The HRNJ report recorded 110 cases of violations and abuse against journalists in 2024. Police were once again listed as the main offenders, responsible for 38 of those cases. Although the number is slightly lower than the 122 cases reported in 2023, it is still a rise from the 94 cases documented in 2022. The report shows that despite the small drop, violence against journalists remains widespread, especially while they are carrying out their professional duties.
“These fluctuations highlight both progress and persistent challenges in ensuring the safety and rights of media practitioners in Uganda over the past five years,” the report says.
Mr Robert Ssempala, the executive director of HRNJ-Uganda, said in 2024, press freedom in Uganda continued to face profound instability, despite moments of progress, most notably a significant court ruling affirming the constitutional rights of journalists.
“Journalists across the country endured a host of violations: from physical assault and threats to economic pressures and increased censorship. The involvement of powerful institutions such as Parliament, the Judiciary, and regulatory authorities in blocking access to information added a deeply concerning layer to this crisis. These actors, rather than upholding media freedom, became active participants in its erosion,” he said.
Mr Ssempala said the emerging threats, including cybersecurity breaches, disinformation campaigns, and the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI), raised new alarms about the safety and ethical integrity of journalism. “Female journalists, in particular, were disproportionately targeted, facing gender-specific abuses that limited their participation in the media space. As Uganda moves closer to another election cycle, the urgency to safeguard press freedom becomes even more critical. Electoral periods have historically been marred by increased violence and restrictions against journalists, and the current climate suggests that 2025 could follow a similar pattern,” he said.
UHRC speaks out
Ms Mariam Wangadya, the chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, said there is an escalating risk facing journalism amid growing ideological, political, and social fragmentation in Uganda. “As the media landscape becomes increasingly polarised, journalists and media organisations are contending not only with misinformation and disinformation but also with narratives that delegitimise their profession,” she said.
“As the costs of truth-telling—financial, legal, and personal—continue to rise, journalists find themselves caught between the responsibility to deliver accurate, fact-based reporting and confronting external pressures from political actors, corporate interests, and public sentiment to sensationalise or distort narratives. Beyond external coercion, the foundation of journalism in Uganda is consequently undermined by widespread claims of bias and distrust in traditional media, often fuelled by deliberate efforts to weaken independent scrutiny and critical public discourse,” she added.
Ms Wangadya said the “fake news” narrative has been weaponised globally and locally to erode confidence in professional journalism, easing the way for those in power to dismiss accountability measures. “This climate has placed individual journalists and media outlets at risk of state repression, digital harassment, and economic pressure, especially as they seek to uncover issues such as corruption, electoral malpractice, and human rights violations. The upcoming 2026 elections heighten these challenges, with media platforms likely to be increasingly exploited by political actors to sway public opinion and discredit opponents,” she said.
Mr Wangandya said the recent Kawempe North by-elections exemplify the urgency of defending press freedom at all costs.
“The deliberate targeting of journalists in the line of duty by security forces and their undercover operatives raise fears of repeat incidences as journalists cover elections. Sadly, sections of online users were seen to defend the attacks on journalists, highlighting the challenging environment journalists face both online and offline in times of elections,” she said.
Govt response Efforts to get a comment from the government, Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) were futile by press time. All three entities had not released any responses to the reports. When contacted yesterday, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi and Mr Rusoke Kituuma, the UPF spokesperson, did not answer any of our repeated calls while Col Chris Magezi, the acting Defence spokesperson’s number was busy. Both UPF and UPDF are heavily implicated in the violations against journalists in the reports.
