Stop attacking journalists in the course of duty
Sep 03, 2008
When wrong is done on one of your own and you turn a blind eye, tomorrow just might be your turn to get a taste of the bile. Recent events of bold attacks on members of the Fourth Estate are, to say the least, disgusting.
By Cyprian Musoke
When wrong is done on one of your own and you turn a blind eye, tomorrow just might be your turn to get a taste of the bile. Recent events of bold attacks on members of the Fourth Estate are, to say the least, disgusting.
The attacks have come in the form of Policemen and born-again Pentecostal churches imprudently turning on hapless journalists and unleashing wrath on them in their course of duty. In the most recent event, two cameramen of WBS TV, Timothy Sibasi and Francis Tumwekwasize, were badly beaten up by irresponsible Police Constables while they filmed their evacuation from Namboole Stadium where they had terribly messed up the facility, broken up almost everything breakable, besides soiling the whole place.
As the journalists were being battled by dogs to the ground, their commandant, who is said to be commandant of VPPU, one Laban, looked on relishing the moment with glee, as undiscerning men and women descended on, kicked and batoned the very eyes and ears of society.
It is also told that he had asked the gate men to close the gates, in case their prey, who had already surrendered not to do any more filming, attempted to flee.
Suffice to give these people a lesson or two in journalism. The media are only a reflection of the socio-political environment within which it operates.
If these “Policemen†and Special Police Constables (SPCs) have been suffering bad coverage, it is only because they have been found wanting in the eyes of the public, not by the media.
They actually invite bad coverage upon themselves by their actions. To seek revenge on the media who are only eyes and ears of society by pouncing on them and robbing them in broad daylight does not help their case, it only exacerbates it.
Recently, a Bukedde reporter, Josephat Sseguuya, had his turn when he was pounced on and beaten up by a mob of born-again Christians at Christian Life Centre in Bwaise, as he went about his job.
Another incident occurred at Pastor Imelda Namutebi’s church and many other unreported incidents.
It is not journalists who are responsible for their pastors’ actions that lead them into these “issues.†We, the media, are duty bound to report to the public what goes on in these God’s servants’ lives as long as they still purport to be God’s representatives on earth.
If pastors cannot live straight, let them stop claiming to be God’s servants.
My turn came sometime back when fate and destiny conspired with my car to run out of fuel on the road that branches off to Rubaga Miracle Centre.
Since it was late and my battery had run out, I asked some people who were drinking at a nearby makeshift bar to help me push it to the compound of the church for safe custody.
Hardly had I parked in the church compound, than some junior pastors arrived and inquired why I was parking there on suspicion that I was a car robber dumping a stolen car in their compound. On revealing my identity to explain that I was genuine driver who had run out of battery, this only exacerbated matters, as the impetuous pastors unleashed guards and ordered a beating on me, unleashed dogs before bribing the Police to drive me to Old Kampala Police Station.
I agreed to proceed to the Police Station on the premise that the Police would be better understanding than these unforgiving men of God!
The Police were perturbed on learning that these pastors wanted to open a charge of trespass, in a church compound. They asked them whether a case of trespass was sustainable in a such a public place where any one is supposed to seek refuge.
My crime was that The New Vision had run reports of wine impounded from Pastor Robert Kayanja’s residence. Indeed, I was told so by the “pastors†on seeing my ID.
Those days I used to pray at that church since it is in my neighbourhood, but I have since vowed only to return to that Church in my dead form.
The writer is a journalist
When wrong is done on one of your own and you turn a blind eye, tomorrow just might be your turn to get a taste of the bile. Recent events of bold attacks on members of the Fourth Estate are, to say the least, disgusting.
The attacks have come in the form of Policemen and born-again Pentecostal churches imprudently turning on hapless journalists and unleashing wrath on them in their course of duty. In the most recent event, two cameramen of WBS TV, Timothy Sibasi and Francis Tumwekwasize, were badly beaten up by irresponsible Police Constables while they filmed their evacuation from Namboole Stadium where they had terribly messed up the facility, broken up almost everything breakable, besides soiling the whole place.
As the journalists were being battled by dogs to the ground, their commandant, who is said to be commandant of VPPU, one Laban, looked on relishing the moment with glee, as undiscerning men and women descended on, kicked and batoned the very eyes and ears of society.
It is also told that he had asked the gate men to close the gates, in case their prey, who had already surrendered not to do any more filming, attempted to flee.
Suffice to give these people a lesson or two in journalism. The media are only a reflection of the socio-political environment within which it operates.
If these “Policemen†and Special Police Constables (SPCs) have been suffering bad coverage, it is only because they have been found wanting in the eyes of the public, not by the media.
They actually invite bad coverage upon themselves by their actions. To seek revenge on the media who are only eyes and ears of society by pouncing on them and robbing them in broad daylight does not help their case, it only exacerbates it.
Recently, a Bukedde reporter, Josephat Sseguuya, had his turn when he was pounced on and beaten up by a mob of born-again Christians at Christian Life Centre in Bwaise, as he went about his job.
Another incident occurred at Pastor Imelda Namutebi’s church and many other unreported incidents.
It is not journalists who are responsible for their pastors’ actions that lead them into these “issues.†We, the media, are duty bound to report to the public what goes on in these God’s servants’ lives as long as they still purport to be God’s representatives on earth.
If pastors cannot live straight, let them stop claiming to be God’s servants.
My turn came sometime back when fate and destiny conspired with my car to run out of fuel on the road that branches off to Rubaga Miracle Centre.
Since it was late and my battery had run out, I asked some people who were drinking at a nearby makeshift bar to help me push it to the compound of the church for safe custody.
Hardly had I parked in the church compound, than some junior pastors arrived and inquired why I was parking there on suspicion that I was a car robber dumping a stolen car in their compound. On revealing my identity to explain that I was genuine driver who had run out of battery, this only exacerbated matters, as the impetuous pastors unleashed guards and ordered a beating on me, unleashed dogs before bribing the Police to drive me to Old Kampala Police Station.
I agreed to proceed to the Police Station on the premise that the Police would be better understanding than these unforgiving men of God!
The Police were perturbed on learning that these pastors wanted to open a charge of trespass, in a church compound. They asked them whether a case of trespass was sustainable in a such a public place where any one is supposed to seek refuge.
My crime was that The New Vision had run reports of wine impounded from Pastor Robert Kayanja’s residence. Indeed, I was told so by the “pastors†on seeing my ID.
Those days I used to pray at that church since it is in my neighbourhood, but I have since vowed only to return to that Church in my dead form.
The writer is a journalist