Senior journalist Wasswa Henry Lumanyika detained by security for interviewing Afghan Evacuee at Entebbe.

Wasswa, a senior news correspondent with Deutsche Press Agentur (DPA) Germany press agency was arrested Thursday 26th, 8, 2021 at about 11:30am, at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel Entebbe, a hotel that is currently housing the Afghanistan evacuees. He is currently detained at Entebbe police station on charges of criminal trespass.

Wasswa told the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-UGANDA) team led by the Executive Director Robert Ssempala and Legal officer Diana Nandudu that he had normally booked into the hotel after effecting payment of USD.167 and spent a night in the hotel. There was no indication that the hotel was out of bounds much as there was a heavy security presence.

Many of the police officers we have talked to at Entebbe police station say the matter was above them since other security agencies are interested in the matter, and so they could not help.

The 60 year old journalist has told the HRNJ-Uganda team that he has not been tortured, though he was sickly and had not yet accessed his medicine which was contained in his confiscated bag.

Wasswa said his bosses at DPA were aware that he was following up on the story of the evacuees, stating that the government has not banned any reportage about the refugee status of the evacuees.

“We find it strange that a journalist is charged and kept in cells over a charge of criminal trespass where the hotel duly booked him in. At the time of his arrest by two plain clothed security personnel, Wasswa had not published any news story. So we call upon the police for his release and return of his journalist gadgets which were confiscated. We also urge the security to respect his rights as a journalist.”

Diana Kibuuka the General Secretary of Entebbe Journalists Association, says there was completely not information barring journalists from covering the evacuees at the hotel, so wonders why Waaswa was arrested and detained. So if there are any restrictions, government should come out and inform the media fraternity.