In a statement today, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman Patrick Onyango announced that all 14 journalists who were briefly detained at Entebbe Police Station have now been released. He clarified that none of the journalists were held in police cells.
Onyango expressed concern about reports suggesting that some of the journalists may have been subjected to physical harm during their detention. He assured the public that investigations are underway to determine the accuracy of these reports and to identify the affected journalists.
“We are committed to identifying the affected journalists and conducting thorough investigations into these incidents,” he stated. However, he noted that none of the journalists had initially reported any assaults while they were in police custody.
Although the police did not disclose the names of the affected journalists, it has been reported that some of them work for Next Media, specifically Francis Insano and Julius Kitone. The report also mentioned that their equipment was damaged during an alleged attack at Mpala pay toll.
Earlier, the National Unity Platform (NUP) reported that its leader, Robert Kyagulanyi, was taken into custody by security operatives at Entebbe International Airport upon his arrival and subsequently driven to an undisclosed location. However, it later emerged that Kyagulanyi had been taken to his home as a preventive measure.
Kyagulanyi had returned from a tour that included visits to Canada and South Africa. The police had issued warnings against gatherings and processions to receive him, citing potential disruptions to traffic and concerns about criminal activities. They emphasized that anyone engaging in illegal processions would be taken to court.
