By Ben Musanje
Uganda Police Force spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke has attributed his nearly two-year tenure without a major public controversy to one guiding principle: refusing to release information before verifying the facts.
Speaking during a media engagement and training on responsible crime and justice reporting, Rusoke said resisting pressure to comment prematurely on sensitive investigations has helped him protect both the integrity of police investigations and the reputations of individuals who may later be found innocent.
“I deliberately chose not to speak before I had verified facts,” Rusoke said. “That is how I have survived with you people for two years, and I am still surviving.”
The Police spokesperson was delivering a presentation on Strengthening Communication and Collaboration Between the Media and Criminal Justice Actors during a one-day training organized by the Directorate of Forensic Services of the Uganda Police Force in partnership with the GSP Secretariat, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office in Uganda.
The engagement, held at Silver Springs Hotel on Wednesday, July 29, brought together journalists from different media houses, police officers and justice sector stakeholders to discuss ethical crime reporting and how stronger cooperation can improve public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Rusoke, who succeeded SCP Fred Enanga as Police spokesperson in 2024 following Enanga’s transfer to the Directorate of Interpol and International as Deputy Director, used his own experience to illustrate the difficult balance between satisfying public demand for information and protecting ongoing investigations.
He recalled one of the country’s most sensitive financial investigations, where public pressure mounted on police to immediately identify who was responsible for the loss of public funds.
According to Rusoke, many journalists demanded quick answers on whether officials at the Bank of Uganda or the Ministry of Finance were responsible before investigations had established the facts.
“If we had spoken prematurely, we could have destroyed someone’s reputation,” he said.
He noted that reputational damage can persist even after investigations establish the truth, emphasizing that restoring public confidence in wrongly accused individuals is often far more difficult than exercising patience during investigations.
“The problem may later turn out to be somewhere completely different,” he explained, warning that speculative reporting can unfairly implicate innocent individuals and institutions.
Throughout his presentation, Rusoke repeatedly emphasized that both the police and the media exercise significant influence over society and therefore bear an equally significant responsibility.
“You shape public perception,” he told journalists.
“Anyone who has the power to shape public perception must exercise that power with diligence.”
Drawing comparisons between the authority exercised by journalists and that of law enforcement officers, Rusoke argued that extraordinary powers must always be matched with extraordinary responsibility.
“As police officers, we carry firearms, we have powers of arrest and other legal authority, but we are expected to use those powers responsibly,” he said.
“It is the same with the media. The power to influence public opinion must never be exercised carelessly.”
He nevertheless acknowledged the indispensable role the media plays in promoting accountability and transparency.
According to Rusoke, journalists have on numerous occasions exposed misconduct within the Uganda Police Force, compelling the institution to take corrective action.
He cited incidents where videos and photographs captured officers assaulting members of the public, saying such reporting had strengthened accountability within the Force.
“You brought us to account when one of our officers slapped a member of the public,” he said.
“The camera does not lie. There is always somebody out there who will hold us accountable.”
However, he cautioned that while exposing wrongdoing remains an essential public service, journalists should remain mindful of the wider consequences of publishing images or information without adequate context.
Rusoke observed that certain reports can unintentionally undermine public confidence in institutions, affect police-community relations or even compromise operational effectiveness.
He cited photographs depicting poor police housing conditions, saying although such images accurately reflect challenges officers face, they can also affect public perception of law enforcement if presented without sufficient context.
Rather than merely exposing such conditions, he suggested the media should also direct attention towards policymakers responsible for addressing the underlying challenges.
He equally warned against sensational reporting in emotionally charged disputes such as land conflicts.
According to him, poorly verified reports on land disputes can inflame tensions between families and communities, potentially escalating into violence.
“You may expose somebody wrongly. You may create conflict. There are people watching what is being reported, and if it is inaccurate it can create social disharmony,” he warned.
Rusoke stressed that one of the greatest challenges facing both the police and the media is finding the right balance between two equally legitimate public interests.
“The public has a right to know,” he said.
“But justice must also be protected.”
He explained that excessive secrecy undermines transparency and weakens public trust, while releasing information prematurely may compromise investigations, prejudice court proceedings and violate the presumption of innocence.
According to Rusoke, this delicate balance requires both institutions to remain committed to professionalism rather than yielding to external pressure.
“The language used by both police and the media must reflect that allegations are not proof,” he said.
“No individual should be portrayed as guilty before due process is completed.”
He urged journalists to clearly distinguish verified facts from speculation and avoid sensational headlines that could mislead audiences or influence ongoing investigations.
“Reporting should distinguish clearly between confirmed facts and unverified information,” he said.
“Sensationalism and speculation undermine both public understanding and justice.”
Rusoke also acknowledged that journalists themselves work under enormous pressure from editors, audiences and increasingly competitive digital news environments where speed often takes precedence over accuracy.
He said police officers equally experience pressure to provide information before investigations are complete.
“None of us should operate under pressure,” he noted.
“You have your own pressures. We also have ours.”
Looking ahead, Rusoke called for stronger institutional collaboration built on trust, professionalism and clearly designated communication channels.
He urged journalists to rely on officially designated police spokespersons whenever seeking information about investigations instead of depending on unauthorized sources.
The Police Force, he said, is committed to maintaining open channels of communication with the media while ensuring that sensitive investigations are protected.
“Let us have clear points of contact,” he said.
“If we cannot provide certain information immediately, let us discuss why.”
He further proposed the development of mutually agreed ground rules governing police-media engagement, particularly during public demonstrations, crime scenes and major security operations.
Such guidelines, he argued, would improve journalists’ safety, reduce misunderstandings and promote mutual respect between police officers and reporters in the field.
He acknowledged long-standing complaints by journalists regarding denial of access to information, harassment during operations and occasional assaults by security personnel, saying professionalism must be expected from both sides.
“Professional integrity must exist on both ends,” he emphasized.
“That is what builds trust.”
Rusoke concluded by reiterating that a healthy relationship between the police and the media ultimately benefits the public.
He said responsible crime reporting strengthens investigations, safeguards the rights of suspects and victims alike, promotes public confidence and contributes to a fairer criminal justice system.
“A strong collaboration between the media and police strengthens investigations while maintaining public trust,” he said.
The training formed part of ongoing efforts by the Uganda Police Force, the GSP Secretariat and the UNODC Country Office in Uganda to enhance responsible crime and justice reporting while fostering closer collaboration between journalists and criminal justice actors.
Participants also discussed ethical reporting standards, verification of facts, protection of ongoing investigations and practical approaches to balancing the public’s right to information with the administration of justice—issues increasingly important in an era of instant digital publishing and rapidly evolving public discourse. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
