The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) is calling for the swift and unconditional release of two journalists, Eric Yiga of Salt Media and Ivan Kimbowa of Uganda Radio Network (URN), who were recently detained following their investigative reporting on alleged misconduct in Mukono Municipality’s education office.
The journalists were reportedly arrested on Saturday by operatives from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), who picked them up in Mukono and later transferred them to Kampala Central Police Station (CPS).
According to UJA, their arrest is directly connected to a story involving the Education Officer of Mukono Municipal Council, raising alarms within the media community about increasing pressure on journalists covering sensitive public accountability issues.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, July 20, 2025, UJA Secretary General Emmanuel Kirunda expressed deep concern over what he described as a violation of media rights and a growing threat to journalistic freedom in Uganda.
“The ongoing detention of these journalists is a serious concern to us as it poses an adverse effect on the press freedom landscape in this country,” Kirunda stated.
He affirmed that UJA is actively monitoring the situation and has instructed its legal team to pursue all possible channels to secure the release of Yiga and Kimbowa.
Background investigations reveal that this is not the first time Eric Yiga has been targeted due to his reporting.
In March 2025, Yiga was assaulted by Dr. Fred Ssimbwa, the Veterinary Officer of Mukono District, while covering a contentious council session—an incident that led him to file a police complaint for physical assault.
This recent arrest has only deepened concern within journalistic circles that reporters investigating local government corruption are increasingly being subjected to intimidation and violence.
Kimbowa, Yiga’s co-accused, is said to have been targeted partly due to his work with URN, a media outlet widely respected for its probing investigations into public sector accountability.
The story they were working on reportedly exposed corruption and abuse of office within the Mukono education sector—an area that has sparked repeated controversy and discomfort among some district officials.
This episode follows a troubling pattern of media repression in Uganda.
In 2019, Yiga was among journalists assaulted by High Court Registrar Fred Waninda during proceedings at the Commercial Court.
Despite video footage supporting the journalists’ accounts, the court controversially ruled in favor of Waninda and ordered the journalists to pay compensation—a verdict still cited by media rights defenders as an example of justice gone awry.
Human rights organizations, including the Uganda Journalists Network and the National Association of Broadcasters, have denounced the recent arrests as part of a broader campaign of intimidation aimed at silencing investigative journalists.
They argue that such tactics foster a culture of fear and erode constitutional protections of press freedom.
Kirunda emphasized that Uganda’s Constitution guarantees both freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
He questioned the role of the SHACU, originally tasked with investigating corruption, asking why it is now being used to suppress the very journalists reporting on corruption.
“Why is a body that was created to fight corruption now being used to intimidate journalists instead of going after the corrupt?” he asked.
As of now, the Uganda Police have not released any official charges or legal justification for the detention of Yiga and Kimbowa, further intensifying criticism from civil society and legal experts.
Kirunda said UJA remains unwavering in its commitment to protecting journalists and will continue to pursue legal means to ensure the release of the two detained reporters.
He also called on government authorities to hold accountable those within the state apparatus who misuse their power to harass and persecute members of the media.
