Peace Service Ambassador Milton Kambula has condemned the targeted attack and brutal assault on journalists covering the Kawempe North by-election.
A number of journalists including Denis Kabugo, Abubaker Lubowa, Francis Isabirye, Hakim Wampamba and Raymond Tamale were Thursday morning violently arrested by security personnel and bundled into a drone car.
The journalists were beaten and their cameras damaged and seized while covering the elections in Kazo-Angola parish in Kawempe North constituency.
Speaking to the media, Amb. Kambula noted that it’s unfortunate that security organs in the country have resorted to intimidating voters and arresting journalists whose work is to inform the nation of what is transpiring in Kawempe.
Kambula said that the people of Kawempe should be left to exercise their civic rights as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Those security officers clad in masks to unleash violence against the voters, I call them terrorists because what they are doing is against the laws of the land. Article 1 of the constitution says that all power belongs to the people while Article 59 gives every Uganda a right to choose a leader of their own,” the disappointed Peace Ambassador explained.
Kambula observed that the people of Kawempe should be allowed to choose a leader of their choice having lost their MP, Hon. Mohammad Ssegirinya in such painful circumstances noting that the by-election should not be a war or a battle field.
“To the security forces why do you follow unlawful orders of beating up innocent Ugandans who have come out to exercise their rights of choosing a leader. Why do you use the guns that we bought for you to offer us security to instead unleash violence against us the tax payers,” Kambula said.
Kambula noted that, “What we have seen in Kawempe is regrettable and against our efforts of advocating for peace in our country.”
For the recent past, Kambula has traversed the entire country appearing on several media houses calling for peaceful elections and condemning brutality meted on the citizens of Uganda.
“Peace is the foundation for security, let’s all maintain peace during this exercise; there is no need to pull ropes and fight each us,” Kambula this has been his signature message across the country.
Commenting on the country’s democracy, the political analyst noted that Uganda’s democracy is still growing though at a slow pace.
“The emergence of independent candidates after involving in internal party selection is a high level of indiscipline and this is undermining both internal party and national democracy,” Kambula emphasized.
Kambula observed that the politics that is based on religion, gender and tribes still undermines democracy.
Kambula added that, “It’s all about playing politics that unites the country, unites tribes, unites religions. The politics of partisanship, tribalism, sectarianism has made Kawempe remain as a slum, a poor place in the country, a conflict zone in the country.”
“So we feel that this election in Kawempe is going to uplift and put the citizens of Uganda who live in Kawempe to connect to the national perspective and ideology that we are one nation, one people, created by one God.”
The people of Kawempe North constituency have on Thursday gone to polls to elect their representative in Parliament after losing their MP Mohammad Ssegirinya early this year.
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