Justice Kenneth Kakuru of the Constitutional court has vehemently criticised police brutality meted out to Ugandans.

While officiating the launch of the African Media Barometer (Uganda) 2016 report which details media freedom in the country at Sheraton hotel on Wednesday, Kakuru described the public flogging of Ugandans in Kampala as completely unacceptable and unconstitutional.

“I have watched on TV, journalists being beaten as they carry on their duties. The police has no right to beat up any citizen in this country... this is like corporal punishment which was declared
unconstitutional by court," Kakuru said. "Police actions are taking Uganda 2000 years backward." he added.

Actions by police have for last months been on everyone's lips, within and outside Uganda. The most battered Ugandans are those who support the former FDC presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye.

At one time, a video showing a police car knocking down a man cheering Besigye as he passed by was filmed and uploaded onto social media, something that roused more hatred for police in a considerable number of Ugandans.

Kakuru wondered why a convicted armed robber cannot be flogged, and yet police is going ahead to flog unarmed citzens of the country

MEDIA REPORT

In addition, the African Media Barometer (Uganda) report is which is a homegrown analysis of the media landscape also in Uganda, also brought out the continued denial of fundamental rights.

It was compiled by by several experts who included David Ouma Balikowa, Barbara Kaija (New Vision’s editor-in-chief), Angelo Izama (journalist and blogger) and Jane Kasumba (UBC)

The others are civil society members like; Dr Arthur Bainomugisha (executive director,
Advocates Coalition for Development Environment), Donald Rukare (Lawyer, activist)
and Cissy Kagaba, the executive director, Anti- Corruption Coalition Uganda.

According to the report traditional media like print, radio, and televisions are facing stiff competion from the growing new media - social media in Uganda

“The print media sector is experiencing abdecline in sales and circulation figures and grappling with changes affecting most of the
continent: high printing costs, increasing overheads and a marked decline in revenue.

"This is pushing the sector to explore transformation since it is unable to compete with faster, easily accessible and less costly
news and information that social media platforms offer,” the report reads.

Prof Frederick Jjuuko from Makerere school of Law advised journalists to form stronger bodies that will facilitate advocacy for more freedoms.

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