By Halima Athumani
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William Ntege
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35-
year-old William Ntege is a freelance journalist attached to the privately
owned television station Wavah
Broadcasting station
(WBS). While carrying out his assignments, Ntege has had three cameras damaged
and destroyed by the Ugandan police forces. His
perseverance has resulted in recognition and compensation from the authorities
but his story highlights the difficulties journalists face while covering
sensitive stories in Uganda.
In
February 2011 during the mayoral election campaigns I was assigned to
Nankulabye market place. As I went about filming, I met a plain-clothed
security officer. He asked me to identify myself, but I could not since my
identity card had just expired and the company was processing new ones.
He
then asked me to hand over my camera, which I had strapped around my neck, but
because I could not identify him, I declined.
He
then called police officers in uniform who helped him to overpower me and take
my camera. They lifted me by my trousers and tried to shove me under the chairs
of the police patrol car, but I told them what they were doing was wrong, so
they let me sit on the chair.
I
was whisked off to Old Kampala police station. Inside the corridors, the
plain-clothed police officer pounced on me and started boxing me. I was thrown
in the cell where I spent the night. The next day I was charged with
obstruction, and the following day I was released on police bond.
Meeting
the inspector general of Police
A
few days later, I went to cover a press conference at the Electoral Commission
offices. Here I met the inspector general of the police, Lieutenant General
Edward Kalekezi Kayihura, to whom I narrated what had happened. He apologised
and promised to get my camera back.
Two
months later, after receiving no response from the inspector general I got
$1520 and bought another camera. I continued with my work and I also reminded
the inspector general of his promise.
Police
lift turns troublesome
In
2012 the then president of the Forum for Democratic Change, Dr. Kiiza Besigye
made several visits to down town Kampala markets. I was assigned to cover one
of the visits and on the way to the market the police intervened and separated
the politicians from the crowd.
As
I filmed together with another journalist from the Nation Television station (NTV), we
got on the back of a police patrol car to get a better view and picture. Before
we knew it an angry district police commander charged at us and ordered that we
get off, even though the car was already in motion.
We
asked him to ask the driver to stop the car so we could jump off, but moving
fast on foot, he pulled me hard and I fell down, breaking the camera. A
second police officer then dragged me down and I suffered a few injuries to my
leg.
Ntege
contacts inspector general Kayihura compensation
Ntege
then contacted the police chief and told him about the incident. The inspector
general was again apologetic and promised to compensate him.
However,
the compensation process dragged on for five months, so I visited the
headquarters in Kampala to speak to the Kayihura and find out whether I would
be compensated or not. I was not able to meet the police chief, but junior
officers led by former police and intelligence official, Charles Kataratambi
promised to look into my case.
Together
with the deputy police spokesperson Vicent Ssekate, they promised to get back
to me within one week.
On
June 29, 2012 I received a call from police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba who
asked me to go and pick up $2400 for the two cameras. I used the money and added
another $900 to buy a modern JVC camera. However, this too was not to last.
The
unwanted witness?
On
October 4, my editor called me and asked me to cover Dr. Besigye’s escape from
his home where he was being held under house arrest. We were informed that he
had been arrested and taken to the Central police station. I got there and
found a corner where I hid behind some police officers and switched on my
camera ready to record. Unfortunately one of them saw me and shouted: “You are
not supposed to be up here.” Another officer then pushed me and I fell down and
hit my camera.
A
scuffle ensued until the Kampala Metropolitan Commander Andrew Felix Kaweesi
intervened. He asked me to register the case which I did.
Frustrated,
Ntege resorts to metal chains
On
January 25, 2013 I went to the police headquarters. With me I carried a chain
and padlock. The cement barriers have metal round hooks through which I passed
the chain and tied it round my right hand, pressed the padlock and sat on the
ground.
I
did this because previously when I went to the police offices, I had always
been thrown out, so I thought this would work.
One
of the police guards reported what I was doing and a few minutes later, the
police director in charge of operations, Grace Turyagumanawe approached me. He
called for two police patrol cars filled with officers dressed in anti-riot
gear with guns, batons and pepper spray led by DPC Ruhweza.
They
came with a small saw that was used to cut loose the chain and about six
officers carried me to the police car.
They
started shoving me under the chair, but I said I was not a dead body.
Turyagumanawe then ordered: “Spray him.” One of the officers’ pepper-
sprayed my ears, eyes and mouth until I went silent, wriggling with the
discomfort.
I
was handcuffed and speedily taken to the Central police station where I spent a
night. Due to the intensity of the spray, the inmates started coughing and
forced me into the showers. I was released on January 26 on police bond and
charged with obstructing the police from carrying out their lawful duties.
I
called the police chief and told him what had happened. He again apologised and
asked to see me later that evening. He was not in his office and sent me a
text: “I have left. I will tell my personal assistant to meet you.”
But
his personal assistant said he was busy and gave me another return date.
By
the 28th, my skin had started peeling off and I was also
experiencing abnormal breathing. I sought medical help, however when I went to
see a skin specialist at Mulago national referral hospital, the doctor said he
would not attend to me unless I produced a police medical report. I again
contacted the inspector general.
The
next day he sent me a text: “Come to my office now.” He ordered his PA to
produce the documents and camera they had as evidence and made it seem like he
was helping. However, till this date, I have not received any help.
Journalists
share frustrations
Ntege
is not alone in his frustration. Photojournalist for the independent
newspaper Daily
Monitor, Isaac Kasamani says: “The situation is getting
worse, we do not get help.” In March 2012 while covering an opposition
procession, Kasamani recalls that a police van UP 1928 well known for trailing
the opposition leader moved close to him.
“I stood to take a shot and
before I knew it, civilian dressed police personnel got out of the van and shot
at me, I was only lucky that the bullet missed my head as I bent to take the
picture. That is something I shall never forget.”
Minister
for Internal Affairs, James Baba, denies Kasamani’s claims and made a statement
indicating that no evidence had been found to substantiate claims that a live
round had been discharged.
Kasamani
says there is no clear way for journalists to protect themselves: “All we have
to do is stay together and ensure none of us is alone at such times.”
Mulindwa
Mukasa a freelance camera journalist also recalls his experience of the force
of the authorities in 2011. He claims he encountered a combined force of
police, military, UPDF and other security operatives in plain clothes who fired
live bullets to disperse a crowd awaiting the return of the opposition leader
form the airport.
“As
I filmed the scene, a man in plain clothes came and hit me at the back of my neck
and demanded that I hand over my camera. I tried to explain to him that I am a
journalist and doing my duty but he didn’t listen. He called two police
officers who joined him and they started pulling my camera as I also pulled
back.
Another police officer I only identified as Baka from his name tag
swiftly moved in and hit me, threatening to shoot at me. He shouted: ‘Give me
the camera or else I will shoot you, who do you think you are? I will detain
you.’”
Veteran
journalist and editor, Joachim Buwembo argues that police fear journalists
exposing corruption and wrongdoing. He mentioned events in 2012 when
opposition leader Kiiza Besigye was pepper sprayed and activist Ingrid
Turinawe’s breasts were squeezed. “Police gets defensive and do not want
the public to know what they did so they would rather no camera person is
present,” he noted.
“If
journalists’ can get embedded, police would like that, but you expose them once
and will not get embedded for the second time,” he adds.
Police
tops list of torture of journalists
The
2012 Press
Freedom Index launched in Kampala on February 6 shows that police
still top the list in terms of the torture of journalists.
The
index prepared by Human Rights
Network for Journalists Uganda shows that in 2012 alone, 85 cases
were reported, while police carried out 42 attacks and one journalist was
murdered.
Source:
Doha Centre for Media Freedom
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