KAMPALA, Uganda| In their World Press Freedom Day message, the Uganda Law Society has applauded National Media Group photojournalist Abubaker Lubowa for his 12 impactful years at the helm of photojournalism in Uganda.

Lubowa, who exhibited his work during an event to commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2025 at the Uganda Law Society house yesterday under the theme ‘Through the Lens of Truth’, an exhibition that showcases a shared commitment to justice and rule of law in the age of artificial intelligence.

The Uganda Law Society president Isaac Ssemakadde’s speech delivered by journalist Derrick Wandera described Lubowa’s work as occupational persecution and a trusted source of client referrals and a subject for his legal advocacy.

” His images of protest, courtroom confrontations, and the quiet resilience of ordinary Ugandans mirrored the very struggles I was championing as a public interest lawyer.” Ssemakadde remarked

Ssemmakadde, through Wandera, explained that Lubowa’s photographs capture the heartbeat of Uganda’s recent history, from Walk-to-Work to Kazo-Angola: the hope of the 2016 elections, the defiance of the 2020 protests, and the ongoing battles for land rights and environmental justice.

The Vice President of Uganda Law Society, Anthony Asiimwe, said that Lubowa has consistently borne witness to events that have shaped our nation and are a testimony to acts of courage, which we believe every journalist should have , which is not exhibited by everyone. It’s only for the brave in covering stories that expose injustice and shine a light on human rights abuses.

Lubowa’s exhibition also received praise from fellow journalists, human rights defenders, and other civic leaders. Ms Dorothy Nabunjo, the Gallery Director at Xenosonartespace, describes Lubowa’s images as a collective memory, carefully selected by editors, supported by reporters, and woven into the stories that have defined a generation.

Robert Ssempala, the Executive Director of the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U), stressed the significance of the Radical New Bar, a reformist wave within the ULS, and called for unity and reconciliation within the legal fraternity;

“Everyone should be grateful for the coming of the #RadicalNewBar. I look forward to the reconciliation that was pledged by the Minister of Justice, Hon. Norbert Mao. I await the day we’ll celebrate that reconciliation with President Isaac Ssemakadde in our midst.”

The Executive Director of the African Institute for Investigative Journalism, Solomon Serwanjja, noted that Lubowa’s photography tells the entire story in a second, and one should be able to look at the pictures and interpret them with little text so that he or she understands the story.

He revealed that Lubowa is one of the few journalists who sometimes goes the extra mile, runs away from tear gas or chaos generally surrounding his working environment , wants to take the best shot, and sometimes forgets about his life, but he is there to tell a story.

In his remarks, Lubowa expressed gratitude to National Media Group for supporting his work and never censoring his images. He furthermore thanked the Uganda Law Society for giving him a platform to exhibit his work.

According to Uganda Law Society, the photo exhibition will run for three weeks, curated by Xenson Art Space, and the exhibition is more than a retrospective; it is a visual testimony to the challenges of democratic expression and freedom of assembly and the evolving relationship between the state and the people, which raises the urgent questions of truth, ethics and representation in an era of digital manipulation.