Editors of The Weekly Observer were yesterday summoned and charged by the police for allegedly promoting sectarianism. The paper’s editor, Mr James Tumusime and the political editor, Mr Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, were also questioned for hours over a story they published on December 1, titled " Tinyefuza meets FDC over Besigye".
Police said a reference in the story that Bahima generals were allegedly persecuting the jailed FDC leader, Col. Dr Kizza Besigye, was tantamount to an offence under section 41 of the Penal Code Act.
The section states that " a person who prints or publishes, makes or utters any statement or does any act which is likely to degrade or expose to hatred or contempt or create alienation or despondency of, raise discontent or disaffection among any group or body of persons on account of religion, tribe or regional origin commits an offence".
If found guilty, the journalists face up to five years in jail. They were released on Police bond.
Daily Monitor has also established that the police acted on the journalists after receiving instructions from the Director of Internal Security Organisation, Mr Amos Mukumbi.
"Mukumbi wrote to us and requested us to take over the matter and continue investigations," a source close to the case said.
This is the second time in months that journalists have been charged with criminal offences related to their profession. Mid this year, Daily Monitor’s political editor Andrew Mwenda was charged with sedition over comments he made regarding the death of the late SPLM leader John Garang.
Soon after his appointment to his new post, the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, also warned that media houses which "incite" the public would be closed.
