Uganda: New Vision journalist’s house torched
By Own Correspondent – Unidentified people have set the ‘New Vision’ journalist Goodluck Musinguzi’s home on blaze using petrol. New Vision is the leading news paper in Uganda owned by the government. Musinguzi’s home which is located at Hamabare village, Rushaki ward, Southern division, Kabale municipality was attacked on the night of May 10, 2011.
Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) reports that the assailants dispensed petrol around his house using a sponge which had been drenched in the petrol to start the fire.
“We were awakened up by fire which was started near my bedroom window and a barking dog. I, my wife and the three daughters took refuge in the seating room where we raised rescue alarms,” narrated Musinguzi The Kabale District Police Commander (DPC) Charles Ssebambulidde said that an empty bottle suspected to have been used to carry petrol and a burnt cloth were found at the scene. He however said police had not arrested anybody in connection to the attack.
A week ago Musinguzi wrote a story about two Congolese suspected rebels Patrice Habarurema and Olivier Muhindo who were killed mysteriously in Kisoro Uganda and Rwanda boarder. The murder of the two caused the arrest of the Intelligence officer for 63rd battalion. He has also written extensively about topical issues including the Kabale Resident Commissioner who was allegedly pulled out a gun at Umeme staff and the two Ugandan nationals including a radio worker who were arrested in Rwanda on suspicion that they were recruiting rebels to topple President Kagame’s government.
In the meantime, security forces roughed up journalists yesterday who were covering the return of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leader Dr. Kiiza Besigye from Kenya. Dr. Besigye was transferred to Nairobi hospital after the police brutal arrest.
