Movement

Stella

April

Resistance

Two popular Ugandan TikTokers, have been arrested and detained for allegedly insulting members of the president’s family. The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2ylzx7155o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC reports</a> that the TikTokers, 21-year-old David Ssengozi, alias Lucky Choice, and Isaiah Ssekagiri, 28, were held for allegedly insulting President Yoweri Museveni, the first lady, Janet Museveni, and the president’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba on the video-sharing platform, TikTok. 
The two Tiktokers were brought before Magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis on allegations of hate speech and spreading malicious information against the first family and musicians linked to the governing National Resistance Movement (NRM). 
They were arraigned alongside a third man, 19-year-old Julius Tayebwa who had already been brought before court and remanded in prison for the same offences. According to prosecutors, David Ssengozi and Isaiah Ssekagiri posted information on TikTok meant to “ridicule degrade, demean, and promote hostility” against the first family and others. 
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The two Tiktokers, however, denied the charges in court and were remanded to the Kigo prison until Wednesday, November 13 when they will make an initial court appearance. The magistrate, however, did not grant them bail but ordered that they be remanded in police custody because the police said they were still making inquiries into the matter. 
“You will come back on the 13 November, when the case will come up for mention. You are remanded at Kigo prison till then,” Magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis ordered. 
<h4 id="abusing-president-museveni-is-punishable-in-uganda" class="wp-block-heading">Abusing President Museveni is punishable in Uganda</h4> 
Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni is a complete dictator, having been in power for 38 years. Vested with absolute powers, it doesn’t need emphasising that insulting him, his family or close allies is a recipe for trouble as David Ssengozi and Isaiah Ssekagiri are presently finding out in a rather painful fashion. 
Indeed, back in September, police spokesman Rusoke Kituuma had warned the people of Uganda that abusing President Museveni, who he described as “the fountain of honour”, was an offence. In that warning, he had mentioned that his organisation was already investigating Lucky Choice (David Ssengozi) who was eventually arrested. 
This is coming even as the government of Uganda has been criticised for restricting people’s ability to criticise actions by the president or his officials. In a report last year, the US government accused Uganda of restricting internet freedom through the use of criminal punishments. 
Several rights groups have also regularly denounced the Ugandan authorities over violations of human rights and the freedom of expression. But all these have not stopped the dictatorship in Kampala from wielding the big hammer against any citizen found to have ‘insulted’ the president and others in authority. 
A 24-year-old man was sentenced to six years in prison back in July for insulting President Museveni and the first family in a TikTok video. During his trial, he had pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness. That, however, did not save him from his future behind bars. 
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Similarly, in 2022, award-winning Ugandan author, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija was charged with two counts of “offensive communication” after making uncomplimentary remarks about the president and his son on Twitter. He was arrested and thrown in jail where he was reportedly tortured. He would spend a month in jail before escaping and fleeing to Germany. 
As for David Ssengozi and Isaiah Ssekagiri, while it is yet unclear which post led to the arrest, a video released in April on TikTok on David’s page (LuckyChoice70), with the title My First Enemies, criticised the first family using sexually explicit terms. If that is the case, he could expect to be handed a lengthy stay behind bars. 
See also: <a href="https://technext24.com/2024/11/05/equatorial-guinea-ban-whatsapp-sex-tape/">Sex tape scandal: Equatorial Guinea bans citizens from downloading content from WhatsApp</a> 
The post <a href="https://technext24.com/2024/11/12/uganda-tiktokers-arrest-insult-museveni/">2 Ugandan TikTokers arrested for insulting President Museveni, his wife and son</a> first appeared on <a href="https://technext24.com">Technext</a>.

2 Ugandan TikTokers arrested for insulting President Museveni, his wife and son

Technext.ng

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