A journalist working with Capital FM radio in Kampala, has been attacked by gunmen
The attack happened a few week’s ago (20 January 2012) at Kenjoy Supermarket in Bukoto, a suburb of Kampala.
Tugume says that barely three minutes after arriving at the supermarket carpark with his family another vehicle arrived at bottleneck speed and hit his car from the rear side of the driver’s seat, damaging the back part of it.
Tugume told HRNJ-Uganda: “I was too shocked. When I came out to see what was happening, four men dressed in civilian attire emerged from a Honda CRV car registration number UAH 611U, grey in color. Three of them were each holding a pistol while the other an AK47 rifle.
“I ran back into my car and locked the door. It is then that they started hitting my car with gun butts and kicking it with their boots. My two daughters started crying. My wife jumped out, and then they pounced on her, hitting her very hard on the car. She screamed and attracted the attention of the security men at Kenjoy who ran to her rescue.”
Tugume says the gun wielding men introduced themselves as General David Tinyefunza’s bodyguards. Tinyefunza is the national coordinator of security agencies in Uganda.
“It is at this point that I reversed and sped off with my family to Kiira Road police at around 11:15PM from where I logged a case of threatening violence,” Tugume added.
When contacted by HRNJ-Uganda, General Tinyefunza denied any knowledge of the group.
Tinyefunza said: “Those are thugs, how can they be my escorts? They are the group that tortures our people. I will hunt for them and have them prosecuted and I will help in all the court battles. Anyone who claims to be my escort should be arrested. It is not the first time people are using my name to wreak havoc in the city. I cannot let this thuggery go on. I am sorry about what happened to Tugume.”
Tugume came into the limelight in May last year when he was shot in the leg by security men during the first walk-to work demonstrations. He is still struggling with his kneel and doctors have recommended that he gets an operation.
“HRNJ-Uganda could not establish the motive of the attackers but cannot rule out foul play since Tugume has people reportedly trailing him for unclear reasons. The organization further condemns this cruel act and all other attacks on journalists and implores police to vigilantly investigate these matters and prosecute the perpetrators without delay to ensure that the victims obtain justice,” said the HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.
HRNJ-Uganda has worked tirelessly to fight for the rights of journalists and a right to information, freedom of speech and expression, which journalists in Uganda rarely enjoy. During the presidential and parliamentary elections early last year a journalists was shot in the stomach by security operatives at Budadiri east where the Hon. Nathan Nandal Mafibi was debating with a former minister for presidency.
Many times the rights of journalists have been derailed and some have been compromised.
