UGANDA: Anglican Archbishop Condemns Beating of Journalists
By Godfrey Olukya
VOL African Correspondent
www.virtueonline.org
February 21, 2021
The Anglican Church of Uganda has condemned soldiers beating up journalists.
Anglican Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba condemned the soldiers who on Wednesday clobbered journalists who were covering the leader of the leading opposition party in Uganda Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
At least 6 journalists were seriously beaten in the compound of the UN human rights commission offices in Kampala. They were admitted to hospitals with severe injuries.
As Bobi Wine was inside the UN high commission offices presenting a petition against abducting his supporters, outside, the police and army were clobbering journalists and MPs.
Among the six journalists severely beaten were two females and two males. They included Josephine Namakumbi, Irene Abalo of NBS television, Cliff Wamala of NTV television and Timothy Murungi of New Vision newspaper.
During today's service at his residence in Kampala, The Anglican Archbishop said that was a very bad act, not expected from Ugandan soldiers.
He said that he was not satisfied with the army punishing the seven junior officers who beat up the journalists and failed to punish the senior officer who instructed them to do so.
"If I was the one, I would have arrested the one who ordered the beating of journalists and punished him severely," he said.
He said it was unfortunate that the incident took place in the very week they celebrated the life of the late Archbishop Janani Luwum who was killed by Idi Amin.
He called upon all security agencies in the country to let journalists do their work without any hindrance.
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