Ugandan jailed for 2 years over Museveni TikTok video

By Brian Okoth

A 21-year-old Ugandan man has been sentenced to two years in jail over a video he posted on TikTok said to contain "hate speech" against President Yoweri Museveni.

Entebbe Chief Magistrate Stella-Maris Amabilis said on Monday, November 18th that the two-year imprisonment of Emmanuel Nabugodi would "enable him to learn from his acts, and next time to respect the fountain of honour."

The magistrate added that instead of the convict engaging in "gainful employment, he resorted to TikTok to abuse and ridicule people, especially the fountain of honour."

Article 98 of Uganda's Constitution says the president is the "head of state, head of government, commander-in-chief of the Uganda People's Defence Forces, and is the fountain of honour."

Nabugodi faced three counts. Last week, he pleaded guilty to all of them.

On Monday, he was sentenced to between eight months and two years in jail for the offences, with the sentences running concurrently.

The prosecution said Nabugodi had posted content with the intention of "demeaning, degrading, and promoting hostility against" President Museveni.

State Prosecutor Paul Byamukama told court that the suspect committed the offences in Central Uganda's Wakiso District in September 2024. The prosecution said Nabugodi posted a video showing him acting as a judge, and President Museveni as an arraigned person.

In the video, Nabugodi, playing the judge's role, said the head of state faced three charges, which are "ruling Uganda since my childhood", "serving as Uganda's president despite being born outside the country" and "being the main subject of 'misleading' history lessons."

According to the prosecution, Nabugodi said in the video that the "arraigned" leader was "guilty" of the charges, and that his punishment would be through "caning."

State Prosecutor Byamukama asked the court to sentence Nabugodi to the maximum seven-year prison term under Uganda's Computer Misuse Act.

According to Nabugodi, he was "making comedy content like other people do on TikTok."

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old shoe seller in Uganda was arraigned on Monday on allegations of posting "demeaning" TikTok content against President Museveni, his son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and Uganda's Parliament Speaker Anita Among.

The prosecution said the suspect, Juma Musuuza, recently used unpalatable words to describe military chief Muhoozi.

Musuuza is further alleged to have said that if Muhoozi becomes Uganda's president, the country "will be destroyed within two days."

State Prosecutor Janet Kitimbo said that the suspect further targeted Speaker Among with "hate speech." Musuuza allegedly said the speaker "has used taxpayers' money to build a mansion better than Uganda's State House, and also used the money to buy skin lightening cream."

The suspect will be remanded until November 27th, when his case will be heard. Three other people are in custody, awaiting court action, for allegedly propagating hate speech against President Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, and General Muhoozi.

In July, another suspect, Edward Awebwa, was sentenced to six years in prison for insulting President Museveni in a video clip posted on his TikTok account.

The prosecution said Awebwa's verbal attacks on Uganda's first family were "tribal" and "gross." Eighty-year-old Museveni has served as Uganda's president for 38 years.