A 24-year-old Ugandan man has been sentenced to six years in prison for using TikTok to spread hate speech and false information about President Yoweri Museveni and his family.
The sentence was handed down by Entebbe Chief Magistrate Stellah-Maris Amabilisi on Wednesday. Edward Awebwa, who operated the “Save Media Uganda” account, was arrested after posting a video insulting the president, his wife, and his son.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, Awebwa shared these mocking videos between February and March 2024.
This sentencing is part of a broader crackdown by security agencies on individuals using social media to insult senior government officials.
Awebwa is among several content creators jailed under the Computer Misuse Act of 2022 for disseminating “malicious information” and “hate speech.” Human rights activists have challenged this law in the Constitutional Court, labeling it as repressive.
The Computer Misuse Act defines offensive communication as the “willful and repeated use of electronic communication to disturb or attempt to disturb the peace, quiet, or right of privacy of any person with no purpose of legitimate communication,” with penalties including fines, up to one year in prison, or both.
