Troubling crackdown on Ugandan journalists ahead of 2026 elections
Kampala, Uganda, March 27, 2025—After two weeks of attacks by masked anti-terrorism agents, police, and soldiers on Ugandan journalists covering an upcoming by-election, voting day proved even worse — forcing three major media houses to pull their reporters from the day’s top story. “We have taken the difficult decision to temporarily withdraw our @Daily Monitor…
Ugandan journalist Lawrence Kitatta goes into hiding after assault, suspected surveillance
Nairobi, March 31, 2022 — Ugandan authorities should investigate a February 22 assault on and several incidents of suspected surveillance of freelance journalist Lawrence Kitatta, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. Kitatta, a photojournalist and reporter, has been in hiding and unable to work since March 11, he…
Zambian Patriotic Front supporters attack 2 journalists
Lusaka, Zambia, May 4, 2021 – Zambian authorities must thoroughly investigate the recent attack on two reporters and ensure that the press can work freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 1, supporters of two factions of the ruling Patriotic Front political party violently clashed at the party’s headquarters in…
Ugandan security personnel harass journalists, shut down radio station during elections
Between January 12 and January 20, 2021, Ugandan security personnel harassed and detained at least four journalists covering the country’s general elections, and shut down at least one radio station, according to a statement by the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda, a local human rights group, and journalists who spoke to CPJ. Ugandans voted in…
Ugandan police arrest at least 8 journalists covering opposition MP Bobi Wine
Nairobi, September 20, 2018–Police in Uganda detained at least eight journalists covering the return of opposition MP Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, from the U.S, according to media reports and local journalists. The arrests are the latest incident of Ugandan security personnel assaulting, harassing, or arresting journalists covering political tension in the past…
Ugandan journalist seized in Kampala following investigative report
Nairobi, February 14, 2018–Ugandan authorities must make every effort to secure the safe release of Charles Etukuri, an investigative journalist for the state-owned New Vision newspaper, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Five unidentified men dressed in military camouflage seized Etukuri outside the newspaper’s office in Kampala yesterday, days after he published an investigation…
Press trying to cover politics in Uganda face restrictions, attacks
January 15, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that journalists in Uganda are being prevented from freely covering Parliament and campaigning for next month’s presidential elections. The government announced this week that journalists without a university qualification will be barred from covering parliament, according to local reports. Journalists have also reported being attacked and…
Advertising and Censorship in East Africa’s Press
The printed word is thriving in parts of Africa, but advertisers’ clout means they can often quietly control what is published. By Tom Rhodes Kenyans read election coverage in the Mathare slum in Nairobi, the capital, on March 9, 2013. One reason that advertising revenue trumps circulation for East Africa’s newspapers is that readers often…