Ugandan Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja has dismissed claims that she ordered the arrest of Galaxy TV journalist David Mwesigye, calling the reports baseless and misleading.
According to Francis Jjingo, the Communications Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, the allegations circulating in the media hold no truth and should not be taken seriously by the public.
“The Prime Minister did not order the arrest of journalist Mwesigye. She only instructed him to issue an apology for providing false information to the President and the nation.”,Jjingo clarified.
Nabbanja herself emphasized that her directive was for the journalist to record a statement with the police, not to be detained.
“This is baseless information that I ordered the arrest of the journalist,I only asked him to go to police and make a statement regarding the false claims he made. I respect journalists they educate, inform, and entertain the public but sometimes they are misled by political actors, particularly from the opposition, to spread misinformation.”she said.
The controversy stems from an incident during President Museveni’s nomination at the Electoral Commission headquarters in Lweza, Makindye Ssabagabo, where Mwesigye raised concerns about conditions at several health facilities, including Mukono Referral Hospital, Namuganga Health Centre III, and Kayunga General Hospital.
During his interaction with the President, Mwesigye reported severe staff shortages, a lack of medical equipment, and dire conditions for patients claiming that at Kayunga Hospital, pregnant women were giving birth on the floor and the oxygen plant was nonfunctional.
In response, President Museveni tasked Prime Minister Nabbanja with conducting a fact-finding visit to the mentioned hospitals.
Following her inspection, Nabbanja confirmed some of the journalist’s concerns.
“I agree with Mwesigye about the situation at Mukono Referral Hospital.” However, she refuted the claims regarding Kayunga Hospital. “Mwesigye should apologize to the President for giving false information about Kayunga Hospital, which is fully operational,” she added.