The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) has issued a protest note against the continued detention of journalist Remy Asteza.
According to the note signed by the UJA Secretary General, Emmanuel Kirunda and issued on August 19th, 2026, Asteza who hosts an online news website, Daily Express, was arrested on August 11th, 2026, allegedly on the orders of Minister for Presidency Milly Babalanda and her personal assistant Juma Masuumi.
He said that Asteza who has been held in the police detention at CPS Kampala for five days is said to have been arrested in a joint operation by the security operatives attached to the CMI and State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) with his colleague Hannington Mbabazi, who was picked from Bweyogerere-Kirinya using a drone and then detained at SHACU office before he could be released on the same day at night without any preferred charges against him.
Kirunda contends that police records tag Minister Babalanda and Masuumi as complainants, although the official charge against him remained unknown by the time this statement was put out.
“However Mr. Asteza had earlier in August 2026, carried a news article exposing alleged corruption in the recruitment process of Assistant RDCs and RDCs indicating that it was being probed based on a presidential directive, that could be the reason for his detention,” he noted.
UJA raised concerns over the detention of Astezas, saying efforts were made to secure his release on police bond following his arrest on the evening of August 17th, 2026.
According to the association, its leadership attempted to intervene through the UJA Secretary General but was unsuccessful in securing his release.
“Our attention has been drawn to Astezas detention on August 17, 2026, evening time, we tried to intervene through the UJA Secretary Generals, seeking for his release on police bond but in vain,” the noted stated.
The journalists’ body has also questioned the continued detention of Astezas, arguing that it contravenes the constitutional requirement governing the period within, which an arrested person must be brought before court. In a protest note shared on the UJA platform, the association cited Article 23(4)(b) of the 1995 Constitution, which provides for the 48-hour limit.
“UJA feels that his continued detention is a violation of the 48 hour rule under Article 23(4)(b) of the 1995 Constitution that sets out a mandatory requirement for any suspect to be produced before court not later than 48 hours from the time of an arrest,” Kirunda added in a protest note posted on the UJA platform.
He noted that it also raises serious concerns of intimidation and interference into the independence of journalism.
“Going forward, UJA therefore demands that journalist Asteza unconditional and urgently be released, considering that he has been held in police detention beyond legally stipulated time,” Kirunda concluded.
