I didn't punch anybody—Byandala

The embattled minister without portfolio, Abraham Byandala, has strongly denied punching a female television journalist in the course of her duty on Wednesday.

Speaking to New Vision on phone on Saturday, Byandala said: "I have not punched anybody. That is your imagination."

Asked about social media reports that he had met Judith Nalugwa, a reporter with Bukedde TV, and reconciled, Byandala responded in the negative.

Asked whether he was aware about the case filed by Nalugwa against him, the minister feigned ignorance. “That is news to me. Police will have to scrutinise,” Byandala, who is also Katikamu North MP, said.




Former Bukedde reporter, Ahmed Kateregga, had said on Facebook that the minister and the journalist had met and reconciled.

“Brothers and sisters, Minister without Portfolio, Eng. Abraham and Bukedde journalist Judith Naluggwa have met and reconciled. Thanks to power brokers on both sides including Uganda Journalists Association,” he wrote.

Efforts to get a comment from Nalugwa proved futile as her known phone number was inaccessible.

Byandala was on Wednesday caught on camera assaulting Nalugwa at the registry of the Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo.

Journalist recording Hon. Abraham Byandala at court. Photo/Tony Rujuta

He was seen confronting her, asking her in Luganda why she was hounding him, before punching her in the lower abdomen, leaving her grimacing in pain.

This was after court had adjourned the case in which the minister is accused of abusing his office, causing a loss of sh24.7b to the public and disobeying lawful orders of the Inspector General of Government over the botched procurement of the road project.

The journalist had been assigned on Wednesday morning by her editor to cover the minister and several others connected with Mukono-Katosi road fraud.

She later filed an assault case against Byandala at Jinja Road Police Station and received treatment.