Kampala,
18th/May/2012; the police have quizzed a Pearl FM
radio journalist Nyombi Mahmoud for over
2 hours over a talk show Programme he
hosted Saturday 05th/May discussing the level of Parliamentary
democracy in Uganda as compared to other countries.
Nyombi moderates the
weekly Programme ‘Mwoyo gwa ggwanga –The Patriot’ which airs Saturdays from
9:00AM to 11:00AM local time. The Programme in question was to feature the
president’s Deputy Principal Private Secretary Kintu Nyago who never turned up
for the show. It therefore was made a call-in Programme about the day’s topic
of parliamentary democracy in Uganda. It centered on the revelation by the
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga that she was under pressure from some
ruling NRM party members to gag opposition members of Parliament.
He was summoned and interrogated
by the Assistant Inspector of Police Byamugisha Jackson the In-Charge of media
crimes at the police station. Pearl FM is a private radio located in Kampala
just a few meters away from the police station.
Byamugisha confessed
that he was acting on orders from above. “This matter was brought to the
attention of the CID Director by the Inspector General of Police himself, so it
was referred to me by the CID headquarters. I listened to the Programme
recording and found no substance for our investigations, but since am acting on
orders from above, I sent the recording to another department to transcribe and
translate the material there.”
Nyombi told HRNJ-Uganda
that he was surprised by the summons; an action he believes was meant to sway
him away from allowing alternative views and free debate from airing on the
radio.
“This is an attempt to
sway me away from allowing free debate on current topical issues. I believe I
handle the Programmes very professionally, maybe that’s not what they want, but
I will remain objective and give every one equal opportunity. The police
officer seemed to be working under immense pressure from somewhere. ” he told
HRNJ-Uganda at the police.
Byamugisha noted that Nyombi
would be used as a witness in case of criminal charges against the callers. He
was with lawyer Hussein Muwonge, Pearl’s Administrative Assistant Yassin
Kironde, Chief News Editor Kisembo Abubaker and Programmes Director Uthman
Menya among others. Others present were the HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator
Wokulira Ssebaggala and lawyer Catherine Anite.
Nyombi recorded a
statement and was released without a charge.
“This is a scheme by
the government to use the police to silence all free media and debate on matters
of national importance. All the recent human rights status reports have clearly
shown that the police have become the government’s coercive arm against all
critical media. Since Byamugisha stated that he did not find any matter to
warrant police investigations, they should not influence Nyombi to be a witness
in case of any criminal charges. We commend Pearl FM and other journalists for
standing in solidarity against such police schemes.” said the HRNJ-Uganda
Programme Coordinator, Wokulira Ssebaggala
For More Information Contact;
Human Rights Network
for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Kivebulaya Road Mengo
Kampala Opp. St. Marcelino Pre. School
P.O.BOX. 71314 Clock
Tower Kampala
Tel: +256-414-272934
/ +256-414-667627
E-mail:
news@hrnjuganda.org
humanrajournalists@yahoo.co.uk
Website:
www.hrnjuganda.org
BLOG:
http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com
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