A Ugandan university student, Elson Tumwine, has been sentenced to two months in jail for posting a TikTok video that harshly criticized President
Yoweri Museveni’s leadership.
Tumwine, a third-year Makerere University undergraduate, disappeared on June 8 and was reportedly left at a police station in Entebbe in mid-July, where he was charged with offensive communication and computer misuse.
Tumwine pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness, which the magistrate considered when handing down the sentence.
The video in question allegedly doctored a clip of the parliamentary speaker’s response to Museveni’s apology to the Baganda people, Uganda’s largest ethnic group. Tumwine’s post accused the 80-year-old president of not apologizing for other incidents during his nearly four decades in power.
The student’s disappearance sparked accusations of abduction and illegal detention by military agents, with opposition figures and activists expressing concerns about his treatment.
According to reports, Tumwine was subjected to “incredible torture” at the hands of the country’s military intelligence unit before being dumped at the police station.
This incident highlights the ongoing concerns about freedom of speech in Uganda, particularly ahead of elections next year.
Several Ugandans have recently been jailed for making offensive remarks against President Museveni, including a 21-year-old TikToker, Emmanuel Nabugodi, who was sentenced to 32 months in prison for creating a video insulting the president.
Human rights activists have criticized the government’s crackdown on dissenting voices, arguing that it violates international human rights standards, including freedom of expression.
The case has drawn widespread attention, with many calling for Uganda to align its laws with international human rights standards.
