Images of an armoured personnel carrier (Mamba), a war machine, parked at a polling station during the most recent Kawempe North by-election and the beating up of journalists by soldiers of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT) left an unforgettable impression at events to mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day in Uganda.
Two months on, Phillip Karugaba, a distinguished Kampala-based lawyer, still wonders why an ordinary civic exercise of citizens choosing their Member of Parliament (MP) was turned into an act of terror with some polling stations suddenly turning into ‘a war zone’ following the deployment of the country’s JATT soldiers with faces hidden under balaclavas.
Voting with ballots or bullets
“Were we voting with ballots or with bullets?” Karugaba says, “Did democracy win in Kawempe North? Whose voice did we hear? Whose voice did we feel? Did the people express their free choice?”
And just like many have already warned, Karugaba says the events surrounding the March 13 Kawempe North by-election could be “the curtain raiser, season opener, a harbinger of things to come.”
Karugaba was giving the key note address during the commemoration of this year’s World Press Freedom Day. The event which was organised by the Uganda Media Sector Working Group and was held on May 6 at Makerere University attracted journalists, the academia, students, and civil society. Government institutions such as the UPDF which oversees JATT and the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC); which regulates media issues, did not honour the invitation.
Journalism safeguards democracy
Speaking to the local theme, “Defending truth in an age of Polarization and Mistrust in the Context of the Media and Elections,” Karugaba was particularly concerned about the treatment of journalists by the security personnel who were deployed to oversee the electoral exercise.
“Journalism is not merely about reporting the facts. It is about safeguarding democracy, amplifying marginalised voices and holding power to account. Journalists are not just messengers; they are front-line defenders of human rights and democratic values,” Karugaba said.
“Journalists can help uplift civic competence, amplify the calls for a fair electoral commission, electoral process, for freedom of assembly and of expression, and for independence of the courts.”
Karugaba said the Kawempe North by-election shows the “real crisis of mistrust, polarisation and apathy threatening Uganda’s democracy.” Pointing to recent Afrobarometer survey statistics which have noted that just 26% of Ugandans trust the Electoral Commission, 61% of citizens doubt the independence of courts and, 65% of citizens see the media as government controlled, he noted that the mistrust is “poisoning Uganda’s democracy.”
Press freedom index
This year’s global press freedom report published by Reporters Without Borders noted how press freedom is experiencing a worrying decline in many African countries. Seven African countries are now in the bottom quarter of the Index with Uganda (143rd), Ethiopia (145th), and Rwanda (146th) moving into the “very serious” category this year.
Daniel Kaweesi, the Assistant Secretary General of Culture at the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO who spoke at the event on behalf of the Secretary General of the Commission said it is not that difficult to forecast what will happen in the upcoming general election.
“The picture is already painted as if we know what is going to happen. And it’s not a pleasing one. This, therefore, calls upon all of us to reflect and see where we want to be as a country,” Kaweesi said.
Kaweesi emphasised the importance of the media in the sustainable development of the country. “If the media does not bring out the information that we all need to make critical decisions, then we will not be able to make the right decisions. So, we need to support the media by allowing them to freely do their work.”
Kaweesi said all players that have a mandate in this country; the police, the army, the courts, must ensure that they provide the platform, the correct environment that will promote not only freedom of expression, but also uphold the free space of the media so that they are in a position to do their work.
“We know that the forces of tyranny are rising up. Please use your spaces to basically call for freedom of expression in all spheres, in all aspects, online, offline, but also be aware of the dangers that await you,” Kaweesi said.
Journalists and truth telling
But, speaking at the same event, Paulo Ekochu; the Chairman of the Media Council of Uganda, cautioned journalists about telling the truth, always.
“We, as government, do appreciate with much profoundness the role of the press. The press is a pillar of democracy. We all accept that and we all know that. It is not just a professional right to be a journalist, but actually you are a pillar of democracy and, therefore, it’s important that your practice is supported, is protected, is promoted.”
But Ekochu said it is important for journalists to “contextualise truth.” “If I may quote a French philosopher, Voltaire, he said, everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said. What did he mean by that? We are not licensing censorship by saying that. But it is to remind us that journalism has a responsibility. Truth told should be told with wisdom. It should be told with sensitivity. And it should be told with purpose. Not all truth should be out there. Some truths are actually precluded by law,” he said.
“As a journalist, you should sit down and understand that when I have the truth in my notebook, what’s going to be the effect of this truth? Should it cause harm and if it causes harm, how much harm should it cause, and this way, you ethically make a decision of when to tell it.”
Still, Ekochu said the truth must be known to the public. “However, the truth is not the first point of defence of the truth. In my view the first point of defence of the truth is the journalist him/herself.”
“The first point of defence of the truth is the journalist’s professional way of doing his practise. Does he relentlessly verify his facts? Does he or she listen deeply to find out the truth? Because the truth can be very diverse and even of opposing perspectives.”
“But if you don’t listen carefully, you end up where we are today with very superficial reporting of the truth. Because the truth can also be nuanced and biased. This is perspective. We need to be transparent. And above all, you have to maintain the independence of the journalist. Do not be co-opted by populism and power.”
Brown envelopes, bias and prejudice
“Much as we say we need to fight against those who are coming to beat journalists but, journalists are being beaten in more subtle ways than the one you see on TV. They are being beaten by brown envelopes, they are being beaten by bias, they are being beaten by prejudice. So, to defend the truth, we must look at a wider perspective of thinking than just the one we are seeing as easy to look at.”
“Of course, when you see a battered journalist, you all feel aggrieved. But even before he was battered physically, he has been battered intellectually and battered professionally. So how do you ensure that that truth is defended at that point?”
For Joanna Nakabiito, the Manager Peace, Governance and East African Affairs at the Inter Religious Council of Uganda, journalism and press freedom remain important for Ugandans. “Press freedom is a subset of human rights. And these concepts are not just in abstract form,” she said.
“Where peace is controlled, peace is never permanent, it’s only postponed, so it’s very important that when it comes to the media space, when it comes to the security space and all the actors that are involved, it’s time for us to have respect for each other’s mandates,” she said.
Contextualize freedom of the press
Julius Mucunguzi, the Spokesperson of the Electoral Commission noted that journalism practise and freedom of the press in Uganda should be contextualised by tracing the history and the patterns of Uganda’s electoral processes.
Mucunguzi said the nature of Uganda’s current electoral process cannot be compared with the civility with which Ugandans approached the exercise in the past.
“The level of commercialisation for instance, the amount of money anybody who wishes to participate in these elections invests in order to begin to demonstrate interest, and tied to that is the fact that once people have invested so much in an electoral process, they are not prepared to obey and follow any rules.”
“They enter the political arena prepared to do anything in order to win, and that includes being violent, and not only violent to the electorate, but to even the media itself. So, the violence we see, and which we must all speak against, is violence in the electoral process, and that freedom of the media, freedom of the press, can only be guaranteed and made sustainable when the entire electoral process, including of the voters, including of the candidates, is secured.”
“If we have an environment that is saturated with such mentality, even the media and journalists will not be safe. Because as we talked about in our academic track record, there is the media and society.” Mucunguzi said the media and press freedom do not exist in isolation of what is happening in the entire society.
“Today, we have about 300 radio stations. Radio now is everywhere and owned by politicians. I am not sure that they are using them to advance progress. I am not sure that they are using them to advance development. I am not sure that they are using them to advance unity. They are perhaps using them to advance personal political fortunes.”
“The real danger is actually happening on the ground beyond the streets of Kampala. That’s where poison is being fed on our population. That there is no middle ground, there is no meeting of ideas, that you can’t disagree and remain agreeable, that if one belongs in one camp, then those others are enemies.”
Still, Mucunguzi noted that journalism needs to return to the core principles and ethics of responsible journalism. “We want to see journalism, journalists and media houses bringing out the truth, that they are not taking sides, but also to enhance their trust and their respect in the 2026 election process.”
Journalism must serve citizen interests
“Journalism must return to addressing and forwarding and pushing the interests of citizens. Because the greatest protection and defender of press freedom is the citizens. Not police, not the army, not the employer, not even associations of journalists.”
“The public must feel that when a journalist is at the front line, whether it is in Kawempe or anywhere, they are not there because they are pushing the interests of the media house, but they are there as our eyes and ears to what is happening and that they are pushing the agenda of the citizens.”
“Not some partisan or narrow agenda that we seem to see now. Journalism must return to its core of representing, becoming the voices, becoming the watchdogs of society, ensuring that the issues we push are those that affect citizens, not just the powerful,” Mucunguzi added.
Journalists must defend the truth
In attendance at the Makerere Univeristy event was veteran broadcast journalist, Drake Sekeba, who has practiced journalism since 1965. He said journalists should defend the truth all the time in every situation in order to harness the country’s stability which allows citizens live in harmony with one another.
“How should we defend it? By jealously observing principles of meaningful democracy and the universal freedom of speech and association.” Sekeba advised journalists to always go by the Rotarian principles: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? And will it be beneficial to all concerned?”
Going forward Karugaba urged the media to use all their platforms including; radio forums, and social media to bring polarised groups together.
“Tell Ugandans, let’s compete with passion, but love with unity. There’s always another election. Losing today isn’t the end of the story,” he said.
He added: “Media freedom supports the right to political participation by informing citizens, fostering debate, and scrutinizing elections. Without it, the right to vote or engage in governance is undermined by misinformation or censorship.”
Karugaba gave three recommendations ahead of the 2026 general election: accountability, empowerment and unity. Karugaba asked Ugandans to demand accountability for excesses in the Kawempe North by-election.
“The assault on journalists in Kawempe North cannot go unpunished. It cannot go forgotten. The authorities must investigate these attacks transparently and hold the perpetrators accountable.”
But he also urged journalists to take precaution ahead of the elections. “Taking precaution isn’t cowardice. Journalists must have safety training, risk assessment, avoidance, and evacuation skills. Let’s take precaution because if you’re out there as a journalist covering this election that turns violent, is your press jacket protection? Is it?”
“You must be able to assess, okay, and take precaution but we must build alliances with the Uganda Medical Association, the Uganda Law Society. These must be your partners. Journalists injured must receive medical attention and legal support should it come to that.”
“We must also unite as citizens. Media freedom isn’t a journalist’s fight. It is all our fight. When you read a story, share it. When you see a reporter harassed, speak out and when we vote in 2026, we should ask ourselves, which leaders will protect the press? A free media serves us all and we must stand with it. Let’s reject self-censorship. Let’s embrace open debate.”
“For 2026, report fearlessly, verify relentlessly, and drag every Ugandan to vote to expose wrongs and choose good leaders. Demand a fair electoral process, independent courts, and freedom of expression. Let’s make Uganda a beacon of hope in East Africa where the story of 2026 will be told in bold and fearless headlines,” said Karugaba.
The post Ugandan Journalists Brace for War-Like Conditions in 2026 Polls appeared first on The Hoima Post –.
https://hoimapost.co.ug/ugandan-journalists-brace-for-war-like-conditions-in-2026-polls/
https://fszkblnx.thrymplexar.shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=782&products_id=481537&previous_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoimapost.co.ug%2Fugandan-journalists-brace-for-war-like-conditions-in-2026-polls%2F , hoimapost.co.ug
https://hoimapost.co.ug/ugandan-journalists-brace-for-war-like-conditions-in-2026-polls/ , https://fszkblnx.thrymplexar.shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=782&products_id=481537&previous_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoimapost.co.ug%2Fugandan-journalists-brace-for-war-like-conditions-in-2026-polls%2F ,
hoimapost.co.ug , https%3A%2F%2Fhoimapost.co.ug%2Fugandan-journalists-brace-for-war-like-conditions-in-2026-polls%2F