More than ten days since Ibrah Miracle, a reporter with Top TV was beaten by security personnel while covering nominations for the Kawempe North by-election, his employer has remained silent.
Neither has the media firm extended any firm financial assistance or issued a statement to condemn the brutality of security forces that day.
Insider sources at the Bwaise-based television told Bbeg Media that Miracle had been abandoned by management.
“They promised to send him some mobile money but its only fellow reporters and a few managers that visited him at the hospital. The top managers just continued working as if nothing happened,” our source said.
Our sources told us that by not condemning secuirty for their actions, Ssenyonga and his managers could have feared angering the state, their major advertiser.
Yet their silence could also be interpreted to mean that the TV stations does not care about the life or well being of its employees.
Miracle, a tenacious report, was struck with an explosive device as he covered the procession of Erias Nalukoola, the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate on Febraury 26. His left eye was severely injured and needed several stiches at Nsambya hospital to reconstruct parts of his face.
As he recovers from the injuries, there remain fears that he may never be able to work again as a journalist.
We have been told that Miracle was regarded as a free lancer at Top TV and was only paid per story. At most, sources said, he earned Shs 200,000 per month. Yet even this money never came on time. He did not have medical cover.
Last week, journalists in various WhatsApp groups fundraised money for his medical bills and upkeep. Government also pledged to clear all his bills.
The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) and Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ) condemned the violent attack on Miracle.
During a live space on X last week, Robert Ssempala, the executive director of HRNJ, said they had tried to reach out to the management of Top TV about Miracle’s situation but registered little success.
Efforts to talk to Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga, the owner of Top TV or its management were futile as they did not answer our calls.
