PRESS FREEDOM: Daily Monitor Scribe Held By Police, As Brutality Against Media Rises

By Our Reporter

KALANGALA, Uganda|SHIFTMEDIA| Daily Monitor journalist Derrick Wandera, who has been covering the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine on the campaign trail, has been arrested in Kalangala District.

Wandera’s arrest followed an earlier arrest of BBS TV journalist Culton Scovia who said she was accused of “giving live updates” before she was released.

Journalists on ground say the reason for Wandera’s arrest remains unknown since he was seen on duty capturing incidents unfold after Bobi Wine and his campaign team were besieged by police in the same district.

Wandera was by press time being reportedly driven to an unknown place by a police van with a team of other journalists trailing the van.

These journalists were covering the incident of Bobi Wine and his personal body guard being besieged and led away by Police at Kalangala.

Efforts to get a statement from Police regarding Wandera’s arrest were futile as Police spokesperson Mr Fred Enanga was not picking calls.

Meanwhile, Police issued a statement Wednesday evening saying Bobi Wine had not been arrested as was being stated on various platforms but rather, they intended to take him to his home in Magere.

They accused him of going on to hold rallies, directly contradicting state orders on gatherings during the Covid-19 pandemic.- Source Daily Monitor