The Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT) has faced widespread condemnation from Ugandans, including politicians, religious leaders, journalists, and human rights defenders, for its brutal treatment of civilians, with many pointing out that JATT operatives are trained to combat terrorism, not to manage elections or interact with civilians.
HRNJ President Robert Ssempala decried the growing trend of journalists being targeted when covering opposition events. He accused security agencies of treating the media as enemies of the state, citing past cases where journalists such as Jimmy Akena and Andrew Lwanga suffered life-altering injuries at the hands of security forces.
