Journalists in the Teso sub-region are calling on the Police in the East Kyoga region to identify and bring to justice the individuals responsible for assaulting their colleagues during the Bukedea LCV by-election. Under their umbrella, Teso Journalists for Community Empowerment (TEJFOCE), the journalists expressed concern that since the incident on June 14, 2023, the Police have neither made any arrests nor provided updates on the progress of their investigations.
The journalists who were attacked during the Bukedea LCV by-election include Eddy Enuru, the NBS TV Teso Bureau Chief; George Muron, a freelance reporter for the Daily Monitor; and John Bosco Ojojo, another freelance reporter working with Mama Bukedea FM in Bukedea district and Radio Continental FM in Kumi Municipality.
Enuru was assaulted by plain-clothed individuals at Bukedea Township Primary School polling station while covering the distribution of voting materials. The attack occurred as Enuru and his colleagues were filming voting materials that had reportedly been tampered with, following a tip-off from concerned residents.
During the incident, Enuru was physically assaulted, sustaining bruises on his neck and cheeks. The assailants also confiscated his camera and damaged his mobile phone in the presence of electoral officials and uniformed security personnel. On the same day, another group of plain-clothed individuals on a motorbike seized gadgets belonging to George Muron and John Bosco Ojojo as they were leaving Tamula polling station in Bukedea Town Council.
Following the attacks, the Police pledged to investigate the matter and apprehend those responsible. However, the case has since remained unresolved, prompting TEJFOCE to demand fresh investigations during an engagement with the Police and the Uganda Human Rights Commission in Soroti, organized by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) to address threats to freedom of expression.
However, Oscar Gregg Ageca, the East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesman, stated that they have been unable to proceed with the investigations due to the inability to identify the attackers.
“We don’t have any suspects to prosecute in this case although we opened the file for investigations. We cannot proceed until the suspects are found,” Ageca said in the meeting, indicating that the attackers disappeared in thin air after assaulting and confiscating gadgets from Journalists.
In response, Enuru expressed frustration with the lack of progress in the case, stating that his appeals for justice have been met with insults from the Police.
Following the attack, journalists in Soroti condemned the incident and submitted a petition for justice to the Uganda Human Rights Commission regional office in Soroti, as well as regional security offices in Soroti City. However, Josephine Akello, the Regional Human Rights Officer in Soroti, cited the lack of witnesses as a hindrance to resolving the case.
“Yes, we received the petition but have not resolved the matter because there are no witnesses. If you people are still interested in this matter, please come and record your statements to enable us proceed well,” she said.
A report from ACME on Threats to Journalists, Activists, and Freedom of Expression compiled between August 2022 and February 2024 revealed that journalists suffered significant brutality from the Police during this period, with 69 percent of recorded cases involving attacks on journalists.
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