The Inspector General of Police, Okoth Ochola has met with media executives and committed to instruct police officers against brutalizing of journalists in their course of work.
Ochola was Wednesday meeting with the Editors and owners of news outlets for the first time since he assumed office, succeeding Gen Kale Kayihura as Police chief. The meeting was the initiative of the Police and various Editors attended on invitation.
In his remarks to the Editors, the IGP hailed the media for its contribution towards the development of the country noting that just as the Police, the press has a role to play in building the State.
“By the time we leave the meeting, we should have the rules of the game. On our part, we are available for you,” Ochola said.
“Don’t wait for situations to get out of hand. Let’s get in touch with each other,” added the IGP.
He attended the engagement which was held at the Naguru Police headquarters alongside his Deputy, Brig Sabiiti Muzeyi, the Police Chief Political Commissar, AIGP Asan Kasingye, the Police Director for Human Resources, Isabirye Haruna and other Directors. Also in attendance were Police spokesperson Emilian Kayima and his deputy Onyango
Inaccurate reporting
Ochola was however concerned by how some of the news outlets were spreading fake news while others are in the habit of blackmail and reporting negatively.
“There is no need for any side to blackmail. We need to engage and I encourage positive reporting,” Ochola told the delegation of news Editors.
He urged the media to uphold the highest code of conduct and to follow principles of professionalism, integrity and maintaining a clean record.
“It is my hope that the team i lead now will greatly benefit from you”.
In their interaction with the Police leadership, Editors raised some of their concerns which among others touched on Police’s excessive force, brutality towards journalists, ease in accessing information from Police.
Brutality
In the recent week, Police have been bashed widely by journalists and rights campaigners in Uganda for violating press freedoms which goes against the law.
The viciousness with which some Police officers handled journalists recently during the trial of former Buyende DPC, Muhammad Kirumira resulted into journalists resolving that they were boycotting the Police for its unconstitutional actions.
When the IGP was tasked to comment on this, he promised he would issue a circular to guide Police officers against brutalizing journalists.
Reforms
Part of the questions from the media sought to understand the steps being undertaken by the IGP to clean up the Police and rid it of the criminal elements.
He however noted that the Police modus operandi only requires that they present such interventions to the appointing authority who is the President.
“For us, we report to the President. We gave him a set of interventions we are going to undertake. I will, however, share some of them with you through the spokesperson,” Ochola said.
Security
Commenting on the security situation in the country, IGP Ochola said Uganda is “safe” adding that “security agencies are more coordinated with Police than ever before”.
On the current rising trend in kidnaps across Uganda, he attributed this to urban terrorism but gave assurance that these particular cases were being handled by the Joint Anti-terrorism Task Force.
“For the kidnaps, some are doing it for economic reasons to get ransom, but there is also an aspect of urban terrorism,” Ochola said.
His Deputy, Brig Sabiiti Muzeyi encouraged the Editors to be free to interact with Police on areas like crime, community policing which he said is a good program and responsibility of citizens towards keeping law and order which are beneficial to both sides.
“For example, the media can be helpful in informing Ugandans that Police bond is free and should not be paid for,” Brig Muzeyi said.
Some of the Editors that attended the meeting included, New Vision Managing Editor, Barbra Kaija, Tim John Kakande (New Vision), SoftPower News Editor, Sarah Kagingo, Bukedde Editor, Geoffrey Kulubya among others.
The IGP promised to hold quarterly meeting with the media to track progress of Wednesday’s interaction.
