BBS TV Journalist Assaulted in Bukwo as Security Brutality Mars Kyagulanyi Campaign Trail

UgandaToday: BBS TV Journalist Assaulted in Bukwo as Security Brutality Mars Kyagulanyi Campaign Trail

Bukwo District | Uganda Today

Fresh concerns over the conduct of security agencies during the 2026 presidential campaigns have emerged after video footage from Bukwo District showed two men believed to be members of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JAAT) violently assaulting a journalist attached to BBS Terefayina.

The widely circulated footage, recorded during the campaign trail of National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, depicts the armed men in combat gear forcefully grabbing, roughing up and restraining the journalist as he attempted to cover the opposition rally. The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed debate over the safety of media practitioners during Uganda’s highly contested election period.

The assault comes barely weeks after President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also a presidential candidate, publicly warned security operatives against caning, assaulting or brutalising civilians. Museveni stated at a recent campaign engagement that no member of the security forces had the mandate to beat citizens, stressing that indiscipline among armed personnel would not be tolerated.

Similarly, Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba has on several occasions assured Ugandans and the international community that the country is headed for peaceful, free and fair elections, pledging professionalism and restraint by police and other security agencies throughout the campaign season.

However, the Bukwo incident appears to sharply contradict those assurances.

Kyagulanyi Condemns Brutality, Warns Party Leaders

Reacting to the assault, Kyagulanyi condemned what he described as a systematic campaign of intimidation, violence and media suppression targeting his campaign trail. He warned that continued brutality against journalists and civilians risks plunging the country into deeper political tension.

Kyagulanyi further issued a stern warning to NUP leaders and coordinators, particularly in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and other hotspots, urging them to remain vigilant, disciplined and peaceful in the face of what he termed “deliberate provocation.”

“We must not give them an excuse to justify violence,” Kyagulanyi reportedly told supporters, calling for calm while insisting on the constitutional right to assemble, campaign and report freely.

Brutal Arrest of MP Francis Zaake

The Bukwo incident adds to a growing list of confrontations between security forces and opposition figures. Earlier, Francis Zaake Butebi, the Member of Parliament for Mityana Municipality and a leading NUP mobiliser, was brutally arrested under circumstances that witnesses say involved excessive force.

Zaake’s arrest, which occurred during ongoing campaign activities, was widely condemned by opposition leaders and human rights activists, who accused security agencies of targeting vocal government critics. By the time of publication, police had not issued a detailed explanation regarding the force used during his arrest.

Media Freedom Under Threat

Press freedom advocates have warned that repeated attacks on journalists covering opposition activities could create a chilling effect on media coverage ahead of the January 2026 polls. Uganda’s Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, and journalists are legally permitted to cover political events without intimidation or violence.

As campaigns intensify across the country, observers say the conduct of security agencies will remain under close scrutiny, especially in light of repeated official assurances that no citizen should be beaten and that the elections will be peaceful.

Whether those assurances translate into action on the ground remains an open question.

Legal Context: Journalists’ Rights and Security Conduct During Campaigns

Under Ugandan law, journalists are constitutionally protected while carrying out their professional duties, including covering political campaigns and public assemblies.

Article 29(1)(a) of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda guarantees freedom of speech and expression, which expressly includes freedom of the press and other media. This protection extends to journalists covering opposition and ruling-party activities alike, without discrimination.

In addition, Article 41 provides for the right of access to information, reinforcing the media’s role in informing the public on matters of governance and political choice—especially during election periods.

The Press and Journalist Act, 1995 further recognizes journalism as a lawful profession and does not grant security agencies the authority to obstruct, assault or arbitrarily detain journalists in the course of their work, provided they are not committing a cognizable offence.

Electoral guidelines issued by the Electoral Commission and the Uganda Police Force also require security personnel deployed during campaigns to facilitate, not frustrate, lawful political activity and media coverage. The use of force is only permissible where it is lawful, necessary and proportionate.

Human rights lawyers note that assaults on journalists—particularly when carried out by armed personnel in uniform—may amount to:

• Unlawful assault

• Abuse of office

• Violation of constitutional freedoms

• And in extreme cases, torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, prohibited under Article 24 of the Constitution.

Legal analysts warn that failure to hold offending officers accountable risks exposing the state to civil liability and undermines public confidence in repeated official assurances of peaceful elections.

As Uganda heads deeper into the 2026 electoral cycle, the Bukwo incident has renewed calls for security agencies to align their conduct with both the letter and spirit of the law, ensuring journalists can operate without fear, intimidation or violence.