Edward Awebwa, a Ugandan TikTok content creator has been jailed for six years for insulting President Yoweri Museveni and members of his family.
The 24-year-old was charged to court over a video he shared on his TikTok account ‘Save Media Uganda’ between February and March 2024.
The content was deemed ridiculous and demeaning towards President Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, and their son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces.
Awebwa pleaded guilty to hate speech and disseminating misleading or malicious information in the court.
In its ruling on Wednesday, the court noted that the President, the First Lady and the first son should be respected.
“The accused is pleading for mercy but he does not look remorseful at all for his acts, he is a person who was aware of what he was doing and the court had an opportunity to even see the video, the language that was being used was really vulgar,” Entebbe Chief Magistrate Court’s Presiding Chief Magistrate, Stellah-Maris Amabilisi was quoted by the local newspaper Daily Monitor as saying.
“This court is of the opinion that the accused deserves a punishment which will enable him learn from his past so that next time he will respect the person of the president, the first lady and first son.”
The court added: “Taking into account the five days he has already spent in remand, the court sentences the accused as follows: six years imprisonment for each of the four counts, with the sentences to run concurrently at Kigo Upper Prison.”
In 2022, President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, signed into law the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022, which provides for a jail term for anybody who shares unsolicited offensive information or hate speech.
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