The Observer (Kampala)
Michael Mubangizi
1 May 2008
On the eve of World Press Freedom Day this week, Andrew Mwenda, Managing Editor of The Independent news magazine, will report to Police for the third time in one week, to be quizzed about some articles in his publication.
Journalists all over the world use the May 3 World Press Freedom Day to call for greater press freedom in countries where media freedom is curtailed.
It is, therefore, ironical that this day will find one the country's senior journalists answering questions about articles his magazine has published, and others yet to be published.
The man who interrogated Mwenda on Tuesday this week, Detective ASP Charles Kataratambi, head of Media and Political Crimes at the CID, told The Weekly Observer that some of the articles in the magazine are "concocted and may lead to sedition, incitement to violence and promoting sectarianism".
Andrew Mwenda chatting with his lawyers Bob Kasango (middle) and Philip Karugaba after his interrogation at Kibuli Police Headquarters on Tuesday.
Mwenda on his part said the Police had asked him about interviews conducted for the Independent's "torture series featuring 17 people who were arrested, detained and tortured in non-gazetted areas known as safe houses."
He was ordered to return on Friday for another round of questioning, which could result in charges. The said articles include one published in the magazine's April 18 - May 1 issue, which is about one Lance Corporal Godfrey Masaba. In the article titled, 'Hunted ex-soldier accuses UPDF of role in atrocities,' Masaba talks of torture in 'safe houses.'
On Saturday last week, security agents arrested Mwenda and searched his house and office for suspected seditious material. The search party, Mwenda says, took away three of the publication's computers; one used by Mwenda, the other by Consulting Editor, Charles Odoobo Bichachi, and the third belonging to reporter, John Njoroge.
All the three are required to return to CID on Friday. Kataratambi confirmed that the computers had been taken away, saying they would be returned after Police investigations.
Press freedom
Commenting on the fact that it will be World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2008, a day after his return to CID, Mwenda said it's sad that Ugandan journalists 'celebrate' the day "amid increased assault on their freedom from some elements of the state."
Mwenda's new publication has been in trouble with law-enforcers on at least three occasions already. On March 27, 2008 security agents searched its premises for a UPDF deserter, Lance Corporal Godfrey Masaba.
But Masaba, whom the security establishment suspected of leaking information to the publication, escaped before he could be apprehended.
Masaba's story, published in the magazine's last issue, is one of the reasons Mwenda was picked up last week.
Earlier on March 4, 2008, Mwenda had been interrogated over the magazine's story, 'Does Museveni favour Bahiima?'
He was released without charges.
Mwenda already faces charges of promoting sectarianism arising from his utterances on Kfm radio while he worked for Daily Monitor, owners of the radio station.
While The Independent's journalists are yet to be charged, two editors of The Weekly Observer; James Tumusiime and Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, and about five Daily Monitor editors and reporters, are all facing different charges in court.
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