Here under is the UJA statement over the attacks on journalist David Mwesigwa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
STATEMENT ON ATTACK AND INTIMIDATION OF JOURNALIST DAVID MWESIGWA BY THE PRIME MINISTER RT. HON. ROBBINA NABBANJA AND MOH PS DR. DIANA ATWINE REGARDING THE POOR STATE OF SERVICE DELIVERY IN MUKONO AND KAYUNGA DISTRICT HEALTH FACILITIES.
Our attention has been drawn to the media reports quoting the prime minister Rt.Hon. Robbina
Nabbanja and the Ministry of Health (MOH) Permanent Secretary (PS) Dr. Diana Atwine, chiding our
member, also the Galaxy TV and Radio journalist David Mwesigwa as a certified liar who should be
arrested when he publicly reported to HE the president that Mukono, Namuganga and Kayunga
government health facilities were in pathetic condition in terms of service delivery during his post
nomination press conference at the Electoral Commission offices in Lubowa, as he performed his
watchdog duty in exploring a lasting solution to that public health concern, through the head of state.
The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) would like to clarify and set the record straight as follows:
The available information with UJA shows that Mwesigwa had first brought the same matter to the
president’s attention when he had met with the journalists from the greater Mukono sub region
around June this year, and he directed Gen. Nalweyiso to get in touch with him in ensuring that, that
public health concern is addressed.
When efforts by the patriot and passionate Mwesigwa to touch base with Gen. Nalweyiso proved to
be futile, he switched to the line ministry Ps. Diana Atwine who equally failed to act despite
notifications that were made to her, until when he got another chance to ask the president during his
post nomination interaction with journalists, and the president directed the prime minister Nabbanja
to link up with him in ensuring that necessary intervention is undertaken.
However, to our surprise, the two senior public officials have in a choreographed move instead turned
to be hostile against the whistle blower while playing to the gallery, by making false utterances
against him with an intention of frustrating the truth and diverting the public from the real issues,
which we strongly reject and condemn.
It is un fortunate that the Rt. Hon. prime minister declined to cooperate with the whistle blower who
had voluntarily approached her with a humble request in good faith , to first dispatch her secret
investigators to the reported health facilities on the ground to corroborate the reports, when she
alerted the Mukono district relevant local area leaders including the RDC’s, DHO, etc, most of whom
are being complained against by the facility’s users for ignoring their concern, to prepare for her visit.
The intention of their mobilization was to sanitize the ground with the already sprawled patients
including the expectant mothers, to mitigate its negative PR from the covering media teams with the
prime minister! But still, nothing much could possibly change in that shortest time.
While at Mukono health facility, prime minister Nabbanja conceded that there was a lot that desired
urgent government intervention to salvage the situation there, hence cementing what journalist
Mwesigwa, had publicly reported to HE the president.
Regarding the claim of oxygen plants shortage at Kayunga regional health facility, the prime minister
told the media that the facility has not experienced such before, chiding journalist Mwesigwa as a liar
with Dr. Atwine, thus directing for his immediate arrest. On contrary, UJA has information that some
of the plants that were displayed to the media during the prime minister’s visit were new and had just
been brought there shortly. At Namuganga health facility in Kasawo-Mukono district where there is
un precedented absenteeism of some health workers, patients there were briefed of what they
should speak when asked about the state of service delivery. All this speaks to one common factual
thing; there are serious public concerns regarding the quality of service delivery in Mukono,
Namuganga, Kayunga and other health facilities like Kawempe Hospital, that should urgently be fixed.
The prime minister had told the media that Mwesigwa had feared to be present with them at Kayunga
because he knew that he was a liar. It should however, be noted that Mwesigwa was present at
Mukono health facility during the prime minister’s visit there with other journalists. When he tried to
move with them to Kayunga in one of the cars in the prime minister’s convoy, he was blocked by one
of her police guards. Therefore, it is not true that Mwesigwa dodged.
We feel that what the Rt. Hon. Nabbanja and Dr. Atwine did was an attack on journalist Mwesigwa
who was performing his journalistic watchdog role, and thus an attack on all the journalists. Even if
Mwesigwa was ‘a liar’ as being branded by the two senior government officials, it does not alienate
his right and freedom of expressing himself and exercising his journalistic profession under Articles
29(1)a and 40(2) of the Constitution.
We also feel that the attack was aimed at intimidating and gagging Mwesigwa and other journalists
from questioning the ills in some public sectors. Sadly, one of the prime minister’s press assistant
(whose names withheld) had intimidated Mwesigwa in a telephone link up to Mwesigwa, forcing
him to report himself to the police! We are concerned that the whistle blower whose leads would
be very helpful in investigating the said problem to solve it for the public good has been turned into
a suspect.
Going forward, the prime minister directed that journalist Mwesigwa should immediately report
himself to the Police. Therefore, the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) is hereby affirm its support
and solidarity to its member -journalist Mwesigwa, and to that effect, all UJA members and journalists
will escort Mwesigwa in large number in a procession when he goes to the Police to report himself as
the Rt. Hon Nabbanja directed. UJA has also instructed its legal team to explore possible ways in
ensuring that Mwesigwa’s Constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms are not trampled upon.
Emmanuel Kirunda, Secretary General,
Uganda Journalists Association (UJA).
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Dated, Sunday September 28, 2025.
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