A facebook post about President Museveni’s inevitable death has landed Forum for Democratic Change chairperson for Katikamu South Constituency in Luweero district Swaibu Nsamba Gwogyolonga in trouble.
Nsamba was arrested by police detectives from Wobulenzi town council over the weekend and detained briefly at Wobulenzi police station before he was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters at Kibuli.
He was interrogated by Bill Dickson Ndyamuhaki, the acting police commissioner of Electronic Counter Measures Department on Monday and was charged with offensive communication contrary to section (25) of the Computer Misuse act, 2011.
He was released on police bond on Monday afternoon and ordered to return on Thursday December 15 when he is expected to appear before court over the charges. Police also confiscated Nsamba’s phone as part of the exhibit in the case.
Trouble for Nsamba stemmed from his social media post on facebook expressing how he will announce and mourn the death of President Yoweri Museveni when he dies.
The now missing post was accompanied with a montage of President Museveni’s photos and how will look after his demise. Nsamba says the charges against him infringe on his freedom of expression.
“I don’t wish the president death but he will eventually die because he is not immortal. I went to facebook and wrote that; once he finally dies like any other human being, this how I will announce it.
That, the man who thought he will be in power forever has died. The man, who said the oil and army are his has died and left them all on earth. That is what I wrote. It is my opinion, which may change in future. If he starts working for the citizenry then perhaps I can change the way I will announce his death. But until then that is how I will announce his death,” he said.
Police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi could not be reached for comment on the charges brought against Nsamba.
Nsamba said he joined social media for three reasons; “chatting, secondly to get to know current affairs and thirdly to express my opinion. That is why I signed up on social media…I don’t wish him [Museveni] death because everyone will die. Uganda has had 9 presidents and eight of them are dead. He will die also and I will die. People like Hitler are dead, Sadam Hussein, Gadhafi and even me I will die. So that is the reason why I said, if he dies before I die, I will do this but not wishing him death. I cannot get a gun to fight this government but my role is to tell this government what is wrong through social media and elsewhere.”
Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala, the chief executive officer Unwanted Witness Uganda, a civil society organization, which seeks to promote secure uncensored online platforms has condemned the arrest of Nsamba.
He describes the charges against Nsamba as vague and a threat to freedom of thought and expression. He also disclosed their plans to challenge the Computer Misuse Act, 2011 in court, saying it is offensive to Chapter four of the Constitution and promotes self-censorship.
In May this year, police arrested Henry Mutyaba and Robert Darius Tweyambe, both residents of Kampala for allegedly circulating a photo on facebook claiming that Museveni is dead. The duo was charged with demeaning the person of president and charged with computer misuse. Their case is yet to be concluded.