Two Ugandans, David Ssengozi (21) and Isaiah Ssekagiri (28), have been arrested for allegedly insulting President Yoweri Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, and the president’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on TikTok. Magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis ordered their detention at Kigo prison until their next court appearance on Wednesday.
The two, alongside 19-year-old Julius Tayebwa, are charged with hate speech and spreading harmful information against the first family and pro-government musicians. They denied the charges in court, while prosecutors claim they posted content designed to ridicule and incite hostility toward the first family.
Their detention follows a police investigation into the matter, and earlier this year, police had warned that insulting the president on social media could lead to arrest. This comes amid growing criticism of the government’s restrictions on free expression and internet freedom. In 2022, author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija fled Uganda after being tortured for criticizing the president on Twitter.
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