Ugandan Teen Sentenced to Prison for Mock Trial Video Depicting President Museveni
A 21-year-old TikToker in Uganda has been convicted for calling for the public flogging of President Yoweri Museveni in a video posted on the social media platform.
Emmanuel Nabugodi, who created a mock trial video involving the president, pleaded guilty to charges of spreading hate speech against the head of state.
He faces up to seven years in prison and was remanded in custody at Kigo maximum security prison, located near the capital, Kampala, until his sentencing on November 18.
The Ugandan authorities are taking a tough stance on individuals who criticize President Museveni, with Nabugodi’s case marking the fourth such prosecution in just two days. The prosecution has requested the court impose the maximum sentence of seven years. This is part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Uganda, where freedom of expression has been increasingly restricted under Museveni’s rule. The president has been in power since 1986, and his government has been accused of stifling opposition and suppressing free speech.
In recent years, several other individuals have faced similar charges for insulting Museveni and his family. In July, another TikToker was sentenced to six years in prison for making derogatory comments about the president. Award-winning author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who criticized Museveni and his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, fled the country after enduring torture during his detention in 2021. The government has also targeted comedians and social media personalities, with a 2020 case involving four members of a comedy troupe who were jailed for a video satirizing the country’s leaders.
Uganda has gained international attention for its treatment of critics, and the country’s press freedom ranking reflects these concerns. In the 2023 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, Uganda ranked 128th out of 180 countries, highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts to silence critical voices. As cases like Nabugodi’s continue to emerge, the Ugandan government’s crackdown on freedom of expression shows no sign of easing, with many facing imprisonment or exile for speaking out against the regime.
