KAMPALA – For the last few months, New Vision journalist Gerald Tenywa has had to look over his shoulder for fear of attack.
In the course of his duty, he seems to have rubbed some people the wrong way with his extensive reporting on the theft of ivory from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
On November 11, a lucid article written by Tenywa ran in New Vision under the tittle, “1,300kg of Ivory Stolen From UWA”.
The article highlighted the findings of an internal audit at UWA in which it was revealed that 1,300kg of ivory had gone missing from the institution’s stores under unclear circumstances.
Since then, Tenywa has received a number of direct and indirect threats. Twice, Tenywa says his vehicle has been trailed by mean-looking men riding motorcycles.
On Sunday February 1, people travelling in a vehicle with tinted windows were seen photographing Tenywa’s car parked outside the New Vision head office.
Police spokesman Fred Enanga says threatening Tenywa is criminal
“One time, these men trailed me from the outskirts of Kampala up to the parking area at New Vision,” Tenywa, a celebrated CNN award winning investigative journalist, recalls.
On a number of occasions, Tenywa and his colleagues have sighted suspicious-looking people photographing his vehicle from the parking area outside New Vision premises.
Police spokesman Fred Enanga told New Vision that threatening Tenywa is criminal.
“Any form of threat, provided it is accompanied by action, is investigable and reportable. We request him [Tenywa] to file a complaint with the Police as soon as possible,” said Enanga.
Tenywa says late last year, he informed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Directorate officers at Jinja Road Police Station, but no formal file was opened at the time.
He has also recently published a number of stories on encroachment on Kinawataka wetlands and the industrial pollution of other water bodies.