Anxiety has gripped the media fraternity following the arrest and disappearance of several journalists amid escalating election-related tensions.
Reports indicate that multiple journalists have been detained, while others remain unaccounted for under unclear circumstances, raising fears of a targeted crackdown on the press.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes where unidentified men—some in Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) uniforms and others in plain clothes—forcefully arrested journalists, bundling them into unmarked vehicles before driving them to unknown locations.
Among those arrested or missing are Abu Lubowa, Denis Kabugo, and Raymond Tamale, all affiliated with Nation Media Group, including Daily Monitor, NTV, and Spark TV.
Eyewitnesses recounted brutal scenes of journalists being assaulted before being taken away.
“They were badly beaten, and the men who took them didn’t identify themselves. Some wore military uniforms, while others were in plain clothes. It was chaotic, and people were too scared to intervene,” one witness reported.
The arrests follow earlier violent incidents against journalists in Kawempe, Mbogo, and Kazo Angola, where security personnel allegedly assaulted reporters.
Several journalists, including Hafiswa Nanvuma of Nation Media Group, Gabriel Owola of Salt Media, and Everest Mukibi from Bukedde FM, sustained injuries, while their cameras and other equipment were destroyed.
The media fraternity is now demanding answers regarding the whereabouts and safety of their colleagues.
By Charles Katabalwa
3rd March 2025
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