The Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola has justified the recent beating and manhandling of journalists, saying the actions of the law and order keeping force are a sign of love to them.
Okoth Ochola who was addressing the media on the state of security in the country ahead of the General Elections scheduled next week said police personnel have been vital is saving journalists from worse danger by beating them.
“When we tell a journalist, don’t go there and you insist to go where there is danger, we shall beat you for your own sake,” he said.
Recently, all Journalists marched out on UPDF officials during their Security briefing at the Media Centre in protest for the mistreatment they were being subjected to by security personnel as they made their way through the riots to cover the events.
The journalists argued that they were not committing any crime in reporting political news and demanded that the security personnel to issue a formal apology.
However, to the contrary, Ochola has confirmed that there will not be a single apology to the aggrieved journalists.
“I have no apology. We shall not apologise but we shall continue helping you not to go where there is danger,” he said.
Ochola also blamed journalists for working against the security officers and says the Media has been making biased reports against the Security.
“We have heard complaints that security is targeting the media. On the contrary, it is the media targeting security. It is portraying security as brutal,” he said.
During campaign trail for Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine in Masaka, journalists were injured in a fracas with police.
The journalists including NTV’s Ali Mivule, NBS TV’s Daniel Lutaya and journalist cum political activist attached to Ghetto TV Ashraf Kasirye was shot on the head during the incidents.
