Journalists Petition President as International Body Intervenes in Rights Abuse

Journalists in Kabale have petitioned President Yoweri Museveni urging him to prevail over the Kabale Resident District Commissioner Darius Nandinda, to stop harassing and mistreating them.

The journalists in their petition told the president that they have been subjected to inhumane treatment by the RDC and blocked from performing their duties.

This comes after RDC Nandinda allegedly confiscated a phone belonging to one of the journalists working in Kabale after he found him taking pictures where the District Task Force headed by Nandinda was impounding vehicles on Kabale streets.

The following day, a group of journalists went to the office of the RDC to plead for the release of the journalists’ phone, but instead of listening to them, Nandinda demanded that they all hand in their phones and cameras before he could talk to them, or they leave his office.

The group opted to leave and seek redress elsewhere.

The journalists have now decided to take their concerns to the Appointing Authority.

” Your Excellence, we the undersigned being journalists working in Kabale District write to you this petition as a last resort because we have been harassed, intimidated and threatened and pushed on the wall by the Resident District Commissioner Darios Nandinda” the petition reads.

Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has since intervened in matter.

CPJ is an international non-profit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide.

The organization defends the rights of journalists internationally to report news safely and without fear of reprisal.

Muthoki Mumo, the CPJ representative for the East African region says they have already contacted the affected journalists for first-hand information concerning the harassment after which they shall engage relevant offices to address the matter.