UMWA urges security agencies to respect media ahead of 2026 elections

10 August 2025, 11:55 am

By Lilian Ndagire

As Uganda draws closer to the 2026 general elections, the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) has appealed to government and security agencies, including the police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), to respect media work throughout the entire electoral process — from nominations to campaigns and voting.

Speaking at a three-day workshop on journalist safety held at UMWA offices in Kisaasi, Kampala, UMWA Programmes Manager Catherine Apalat urged security organs to cooperate with journalists to ensure free and fair elections. She condemned acts of brutality witnessed in past polls, including the beating of journalists, damage to their equipment, and denial of media access in certain areas. She cited incidents during the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election as recent examples.

Apalat also reminded journalists to uphold professional ethics, including balanced reporting, fact-checking, fairness, and respecting lawful security instructions, to foster a smooth working environment that benefits the country.

Leila Ndagire, also speaking at the workshop, called on media owners and managers to equip reporters with election coverage skills through training and workshops. She further urged media houses to provide essential tools such as recorders and valid work IDs to enable journalists to work effectively.

The workshop attracted participants from various media outlets, including Tiger FM, Mama FM, Radio One, Gugudde TV, and UBC TV, among others.