Journalist in Hospital after Clash at Uganda Opposition Rally
Image Credits: Al-Jazeera
Kampala, Dec 27 (AFP/APP): A journalist covering an election rally of Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was hospitalised on Sunday after being injured during a clash between security forces and the candidate’s supporters, police said.
The unrest occurred near the southern town of Masaka, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) from the capital Kampala. Police said Ashraf Kasirye, who works for a YouTube channel devoted to Wine’s campaign, was in “serious condition”. Wine, 38, is a pop star and lawmaker who is seen as the main challenger to incumbent President Yoweri Museveni in the January 14 polls.
“Tear gas was used to quell the violence and journalists were regrettably caught up during the process of dispersing the violent group,” police spokesman Fred Enanga said in a statement. Kasirye “sustained blunt force injuries above the left eye allegedly from a (tear gas) canister” and was taken to the Masaka hospital for emergency treatment.
He will then be taken to Kampala, Enanga said. Two other cameramen were injured. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, said on his Twitter account that his campaign is “hoping against hope that (Kasirye) will live”. The candidate also said that a member of his security team, Francis Senteza Kalibala, was killed by a police vehicle when he was trying to help Kasirye. Police did not confirm the report. Museveni, 76, has been in power in the former British colony since 1986.
The Ugandan telecoms regulator earlier this month wrote to YouTube’s parent company Google to request the blocking of Wine’s YouTube channel Ghetto TV, citing security reasons. The Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Uganda charged that two of its members were “deliberately targeted by rubber bullets” during the election campaign.
“Journalists have repeatedly warned that our safety is in danger, but the Ugandan security forces are not listening. Journalism is not a crime. Shooting journalists is,” the group said in a statement. Responding to the statement, Enanga said: “We do appreciate the critical role journalists (play) while covering the campaigns and pledge better protection cover so as to remain safe while documenting violent confrontations.”
Wine’s own arrest last month sparked protests and clashes in which at least 37 people were killed, marking a violent start to campaigning.
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