A Ugandan TikTok content creator, Emmanuel Nabugodi, has been handed a 32-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges of hate speech and disseminating malicious information targeting President Yoweri Museveni.
The ruling, delivered on Monday by Chief Magistrate Stellah Maris Amabilis at the Entebbe Magistrates Court, has reignited conversations around freedom of expression and the limits of online content regulation in Uganda.
Nabugodi, a 21-year-old with a growing audience of over 20,000 followers, became popular for his comedic videos, often poking fun at societal issues.
However, the specific video that led to his legal troubles portrayed a mock trial in which he suggested a public flogging of President Museveni, who has held office since 1986.
The court deemed the video offensive, violating Uganda’s Computer Misuse Act. The Act, amended in 2022, criminalizes online content considered to “ridicule, degrade, or demean” others, particularly public officials.
Magistrate Amabilis, in her judgment, emphasized the need for Nabugodi’s punishment to serve as a deterrent against similar actions on social media.
She stated, “This court hopes that by the time the convict leaves prison, he will have learned that abusing people in the name of content creation is unacceptable.”
The magistrate also noted that Nabugodi demonstrated no remorse during the proceedings, which factored into the severity of the sentence.
The case has sparked widespread debate in Uganda and beyond, with critics arguing that the sentencing represents a growing crackdown on digital freedom and dissent in the country.
Supporters of Nabugodi claim that his video, while provocative, falls under the realm of satire and artistic expression, raising questions about the balance between free speech and governmental authority.
Nabugodi retains the right to appeal the ruling within 14 days.
