By Dorris Kyalo and Jael Nyabuti
A Ugandan court has sentenced Edward Awebwa, a 24-year-old man, to six years in prison for insulting President Yoweri Museveni and his family in a TikTok video.
Awebwa faced charges of hate speech and spreading “misleading and malicious” information about President Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, and their son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who heads the military.
The court also heard that Awebwa had claimed there would be an increase in taxes under Museveni’s leadership.
Despite pleading guilty and seeking forgiveness, the presiding magistrate, Stella Maris Amabilis, observed that Awebwa did not appear remorseful and that his language was “really vulgar.”
Consequently, Awebwa was sentenced to six years for each of the charges, to be served concurrently.
Magistrate Amabilis remarked, “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.”
Human rights organizations frequently criticize Ugandan authorities for infringing on freedom of expression and human rights.
In 2022, award-winning Ugandan author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija was charged with two counts of “offensive communication” for making critical remarks about the president and his son on Twitter.
After spending a month in jail, during which he claimed he was tortured, Rukirabashaija fled to Germany.
Similarly, activist and writer Stella Nyanzi, now in exile, was previously jailed for publishing a poem critical of President Museveni.
However, President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986—14 years before Awebwa was born—has been accused of suppressing online free speech.
In 2022, he signed into law a controversial act that rights groups argue was intended to curb online freedom of speech.
Last year, Uganda’s constitutional court ruled that a section of this act penalizing “offensive communication” was unconstitutional.
Ugandan human rights lawyer Michael Aboneka noted that Awebwa was charged under the broader, still-challenged law, which he described as vague.
He emphasized that public figures, including the president and his family, should expect criticism from the public, stating, “Unless they are saying that they are going to arrest every Ugandan for criticizing them at every point.” Aboneka stated.
The court judgement, raises concerns, about the freedom of expression.