The decision by security forces to deny journalists access to the Tooro King’s palace with their phones and cameras has sparked protests among media personnel. On Friday, security at the Royal Palace intensified their measures, preventing media representatives and mourners from bringing cameras and phones into the premises.
The palace is currently a beehive of activities as mourner’s gather for the final vigil of the fallen King, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi IV a head of his burial on Saturday. Despite their strict enforcement, officers at the gates were unable to clarify the source of the orders, and officials within the palace distanced themselves from the directive.
Following the action, majority of them declined to attend a police briefing, while had been called outside the palace. Journalists declined to leave behind thier gadgets urging that they rely heavily on their camera’s and phones to cover events effectively.
Wilson Asiimwe of Vision Group described the decision as unfortunate, especially considering recent praise from event managers for the media’s role in providing timely information to the public.He noted that security concerns could have been addressed through dialogue rather than outright bans.
Ivan Niwamanya of Life FM in Fort Portal also expressed his frustration, noting that he was unable to provide live updates to his audience due to the inability to access the palace with his phone.
Doreen Ninsiima, another journalist who has been covering Tooro kingdom ceremonies, said the move was a shock to her. She urges that the royal family and Babiito have been calling the media for briefing and they have never raised any concern regarding their work.
When the journalists approached police spokesperson SP Kituma Rusoke for the response, he only said he was to make consultations with superiors to explore the possibility of granting journalists access to the palace with their gadgets. However, by 4:PM, there was still no response or clarification-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
