Former Masaka Regional Police Commander Enock Abaine says he does not regret shooting a teargas canister at Ghetto TV journalist Ashraf Kasirye in December 2020. Kasirye was streaming the live campaigns of National Unity Platform party president Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert who was in Masaka at the time of the pandemonium.
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Abaine was responding to questions regarding whether he will respond to the IGP Martin Okoth Ochola’s directive in which he according to a statement read by police spokesperson Fred Enanga pledged to go after police officers who harass journalists. Enanga during the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day said the IGP had pledged to improve the relations between media and security and furthermore added that he would go after those named police officers who harm journalists on duty.
However, reacting to the matter, Abaine who is now serving as an RPC for West Nile says the directive will not work since all the implicated officers were also following orders at the time their attacked journalists.
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“You see, in the forces we act on orders. None of us does something on their own. I had to shoot Ashraf Kasirye because he was inciting the public. You don’t know how dangerous those bloggers were during campaigns,”Abaine said. “Now there is this one called Lumbuye. He is very dangerous to the society. Why wouldn’t the police punish such journalists who are a threat to national security?,” Abaine asks.
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