On Wednesday, security forces of military police and the army pounced on journalists and beat them as former presidential candidate Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert delivered a petition to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) offices in Kampala.
During the scuffle, scores of journalists were injured and admitted to various health facilities for medical care. The assaulted journalists include; Irene Abalo (Daily Monitor), John Cliff Wamala (NTV), Timothy Murungi (New Vision) and Josephine Namakumbi (NBS).
And yesterday, the Commander of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen David Muhoozi apologized for the inhuman actions of his soldiers. Moments later, seven Uganda people defence forces (UPDF) soldiers were arraigned before General court martial chaired by Lt. Col. Gai Mpadwa.
They were sentenced as follows; Capt Odwenyi was sentenced to 90 days of detention in Makindye military barracks, L/CPL Zirimenya Kassim was also charged with 60 days while Captain Nimusiima Justine was sentenced to severe reprimand and caution while Pte Kisakye Victoria and Pte Opiyo Isaac were sentenced to 62 and 60 days in the military prison respectively.
However their commander Lt Col Namanya Napoleone Kyabihende, Director Operations Military Police, was neither arrested, charged nor reprimanded. He previously served under the Special Forces Command (SFC), a force mandated to protect the president.
He was named in the shooting at Kasubi tombs on 16th March 2010 which saw several people dead and injured.
He commanded the military interception on Bobi Wine and his supporters in Busega on 27th December 2020 as they rushed Ashraf Kasirye to Rubaga hospital after he was shot on the head during their campaign in Masaka.
In Busega, as they pleaded to be allowed to rush Ashraf to hospital, Napoleon and his men, driving a military police truck, ran over Frank Senteza and killed him and some of their supporters were brutally beaten and are still nursing wounds.
He also commanded a raid on Bobi Wine’s campaign team in Kalangala Island on 30th December 2020, an ambush which saw over 100 of his members arrested. Most of them are still languishing in Kitarya prison. He personally beat up NTV journalist John Cliff Wamala.
