SP James Mubi the Kiira region police publicist said Thursday May 23, 2024 afternoon that a Jinja based female news reporter was injured by a teargas canister while covering Robert Kyagulanyi mobilization tour.
Mubi described the incident as an accident since police was conducting crowd control measures. He said the officer never intended to harm the journalist.
“Rachael Wambuzi attached to Uganda Radio Network on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 while performing her lawful duties, was hit by stray tear gas canister on her left ear around Mialo Mbili in Jinja city during the second phase of NUP country wide tours. She was accidentally injured in the due course of police conducting crowd control measures,” Mubi told Busoga Today.
He said the Police responded, rushing the victim to the nearby health facility before being transferred to Police Jinja barracks health facility for re-examination by the police medical team.
Jinja police health management has confirmed that the journalist is out of danger, according to Mubi.
“Rachael Wambuzi’s injury is not life threatening as it’s covered by some traditional media houses and online publishers (social media),” he added.
Speaking to this writer, Wambuzi argues that she never received any medical management from police, only maintaining that her life is currently out of danger.
“I’m out of danger, but they never accorded me any treatment as alleged. The only truth is that I’m out of danger,” she said.
“I will not sue anybody because I don’t expect justice from there. Those guys will keep me in organisational politics of come tomorrow until I get derailed. But all in all, I thank God for safeguarding me,” she said.
According to Mubi, Kiira regional police command reassures journalists in the Busoga sub region, especially Jinja, and beyond that, their safety while performing their duties is a matter of priority in their regional annual policing work plan.
He says periodic reviews are conducted to monitor and evaluate all the good, bad, and ugly of the day to day interactions and subsequently forge the way forward.
“Efforts are underway to hold a joint workshop on how to efficiently and effectively report conflict sensitive issues while minimizing the negative impacts and maximizing the positive impacts,” Mubi emphasised.
