A security officer attached to Presidential Protection Guard is currently on spot for beating up a Vision Group Journalist Lawrence Kitatta.
The yet-to-be identified officer who was manning security at the home of Deputy Speaker Anita Among, in Nakasero, Kampala, Tuesday beat up Kitatta, a journalist with Bukedde, as he covered a demonstration.
The demonstration follows the ongoing fracas between Among and Mityana Muncipality MP Francis Zaake who allegedly insulted her on social media.
Parliament’s Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline has commenced hearings into Zaake’s alleged unbecoming conduct, with Chairperson, Hon Abdu Katuntu promising fairness.
Zaake, a Parliament Commissioner, is set to appear before the committee following comments attributed to a Twitter channel allegedly belonging to him, which posted content disparaging Deputy Speaker, Anita Among.
According to the available video, the officer kicked Kitatta in the genitals before shoving him into the road where he narrowly missed being crushed by the tyres of a speeding car.
Speaking on the incident, National Unity Platform leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine said that in “a rogue state, no one is spared”.
“Journalists continue to be on the receiving end of torture and brutality. The brutality of Bukedde journalist Lawrence Kitatta by this hooded armed man must be condemned. That’s why everyone needs to get involved in the struggle for freedom,” Bobi Wine noted.
It is not the first time journalists are clobbered by security officers while doing their work.
In February last year, at least eight journalists from six media houses were mercilessly beaten by military police with batons near the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights offices in Kololo.
The journalists were covering Bobi Wine, who had gone to deliver a petition to the UN over continued human rights violations in the country which include arbitrary arrests, murders, kidnaps among others
Among those most injured were; NTV journalist, John Cliff Wamala who was hit on the head causing a deep cut, Timothy Mulungi and Henry Sekanjako of New Vision, Josephine Namakumbi and Joseph Sabiti of NBS TV, Irene Abalo Otto of Daily Monitor, Geoffrey Twesigye of NTV and Amina Nalule of Galaxy FM while the Observer photojournalist Nicholas Bamulanzeki’s camera was also damaged.
Yellow pig dropped at parliament
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, unknown people dropped a pig painted yellow at Parliament before speeding off on a boda boda motorcycle.
It is allegedly a move by the same protestors backing MP Zaake and denouncing the disciplinary action that could see him impeached.
Security operatives bundled up the pig at the National Theatre entrance and took it off the premises.
In response, the Parliament Director of Communications Chris Obore said: “Instead of dramatizing pigs, whoever wants to bring them to parliament can liaise with my office & police. We will receive the pigs and distribute to people who want to rear them. Pork joints need constant supply. Let’s go beyond camera antics.”
The “yellow pigs” protests started in 2014 championed by the “Jobless Brotherhood” who were protesting against rumpant unemployment in the country.
The act intensified during the 2016 elections as the same group protested against the alleged corruption by the MPs of the ruling National Residence Movement (NRM) whose greed they compared to that of pigs.
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