A Ugandan court has handed down a controversial sentence to a 24-year-old man for insulting the president and the first family through a video posted on TikTok. Edward Awebwa has been sentenced to six years in prison for hate speech and spreading “misleading and malicious” information against President Yoweri Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, and their son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who heads the military.
The court heard that Awebwa had shared abusive information, including false claims about an increase in taxes under President Museveni. Despite pleading guilty and asking for forgiveness, the presiding magistrate noted that he did not seem remorseful for his actions and described the language used in the video as “really vulgar.”
“The accused deserves a punishment which will enable him to learn from his past so that next time he will respect the person of the president, the first lady, and the first son,” magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis stated. Awebwa was sentenced to six years for each of the four charges against him, to run concurrently.
This case is just one example of the crackdown on freedom of expression in Uganda, with rights groups frequently condemning the government for human rights violations. Notably, award-winning author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija faced charges of “offensive communication” in 2022 after criticizing the president and his son on Twitter. He fled to Germany after alleging torture during his time in jail.
Activist and writer Stella Nyanzi, also in exile, was previously imprisoned for a critical poem about President Museveni. The president, who has been in power since 1986, signed a controversial law in 2022 targeting online speech, which rights groups argue suppresses freedom of expression.
Ugandan human rights lawyer Michael Aboneka criticized Awebwa’s charges under the same law, calling it “vague” and arguing that the president and his family should be open to criticism. “Unless they are saying that they are going to arrest every Ugandan for criticizing them at every point,” he stated.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about freedom of speech and human rights in Uganda, as individuals face repercussions for expressing dissenting views against the government.
