There was anger in Kabale district after journalists were blocked from covering elections of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Central Executive Committee (CEC).
The elections included the voting of the 1st national vice chairperson, 2nd national vice-chairperson (female) and the six regional vice-chairpersons for Karamoja, Northern Uganda, Eastern, Central and Western Region.
At around 8am journalists arrived at National Teachers College (NTC) Kabale main gate in Kabale municipality where the exercise was held; but were told they couldn’t enter.
Later at around 1pm, the reporters were allowed inside the premises but were barred from entering the main hall where voting was being held.
Police officers guarding the place said they are working on orders of their superiors not to allow local journalists from witnessing the voting.
Only Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) journalists from Kampala were allowed in from the start.
The reporters described the development as disappointing.
Uziah Tusasire, a journalist with TV West said he came to cover CEC election like he covered all the campaigns that happened in Kabale.
Tusasire noted that blocking journalists to cover such an election was denial of information to the public.
Job Namanya Apuuli, another reporter said police officers did not give any explanation behind the blocking.
He said such a big party as NRM should have led by example by showing transparency.
When contacted, Darius Nandinda, the Kabale Resident District Commissioner claimed that security could not allow journalists to cover the voting exercise due to Covid-19.
However, Ismail Masaba, the NRM Elections Zonal Team Leader for Kigezi region told our reporter that blocking journalists resulted from lack of coordination between the party and media houses.
