Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister of Uganda has expressed concern over the death threats to twelve journalists working in the Southern Buganda region.
PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali has called on the Ugandan authorities to look into this matter and take immediate steps to provide security to the journalists threatened to kill. PPF also urged to hold the perpetrators threatening journalists.
According to Human Rights Network for Journalists- Uganda (HRNJ), a letter comprising names of twelve journalists was received at the South Buganda Journalists Association (SOBUJA) offices in Masaka, threatening to kill the journalists mentioned in the letter.
The names of journalists mentioned includes, Tomusange Kayinja, Kalanzi Jamiru, Male John and Ssozi Ssekimpi of the Central Broadcasting Services (CBS FM), Nsubuga Robert of BBS TV, Jacinta Bwanika of Bukedde, Mukasa Kipecu and Kabugu Norman of Kamunye, Dismas Buregeya of New Vision, Mutyaba Gertrude of Daily Monitor, Issa Aliga of NTV and Farisi Magembe of NBS Television.
The letter was written in Luganda language and the reasons for killing each journalist was also mentioned in the letter. However the letter didn’t specified when the planned killings would be effected.
One of the targeted journalist Nsubuga Robert told HRNJ-Uganda, that a brown envelope with a letter comprising names of targeted journalists was discovered at the entrance of the CBS FM Bureau office located at Laston Business Centre Building while another letter with the same threatening message was found at the entrance of the SOBUJA office located in Masaka Town, South Western Uganda.
Another mentioned journalist Dismas Buregeya stated, that a District Internal Security Office (ISO) team headed by Lieutenant Andrew Kandiho reached the office of SOBUJA, took the threatening letter and assured to carry out further investigations.
One of the mentioned journalist Tomusange Kayinja of CBS FM, was attacked by unidentified armed men, one month ago. As he returned home, the attackers opened fire on his car shattering the windscreen of his car.
