Ugandan police arrest politicians and radio show host prior to election

By

Robert Ssewankambo

It has emerged that prior to the recent Ugandan presidential elections, police in the country’s Lira District arrested and detained the News Editor of Radio North FM, Richard Mungu Jakican and six politicians during a radio talk show accusing them of defacing President Museveni’s posters.

Police led by Acting Regional Police Commander John Ematu and Lira District Police Commander Ezra Tugume with ten police officers stormed the radio studio where Mungu had hosted six politicians to analyze the presidential debate and ordered the arrest of everyone in the studio. The police allege that the journalist and his six guests defaced President Museveni’s posters when they went for a commercial break.

The Police Spokesperson North Kyoga Mansahur Suwed confirmed the arrest and detention of a journalist and his guests. “During the break of the show, some politicians moved out of the studio and started defacing Museveni’s posters, one journalist and politicians were arrested……they are still helping us with investigations and at a later time they will be released. They were charged with defacing campaign posters, and with an investigation you cannot take some and leave others and that’s why the journalist was taken to help in investigations,” he said.

Robert Ssewankambo

Robert Ssewankambo is a Ugandan writer. Working currently on a freelance basis, he is a regular contributor to major newspapers in Uganda and electronic online magazines and media sources in Africa, such as the Bukedde newspaper, Hindered radio, Red Pepper, Eddobozzi newspaper and African Interest online.

For media enquiries, contact Robert at the following email address: [email protected]