A third-year Makerere University student, Elson Tumwine, has been sentenced to two months in prison under Uganda’s Computer Misuse Act for a TikTok video critical of President Yoweri Museveni and speaker of parliament Anita Among.
The 23-year-old final-year student pursuing a bachelor of Agriculture and Rural Innovation, had been missing since June 8, 2025, during his internship in Hoima district. His disappearance sparked panic among fellow students and university staff.
It later emerged that he had been secretly arrested and detained at Entebbe police station. Tumwine’s case gained attention after a missing student notice was issued by the Guild Council of the college of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES), appealing to the public for assistance in locating him.
Tumwine, a former 91st Guild Tribunal representative, had last been seen actively participating in his internship before all communication ceased. Reports, including a widely circulated WhatsApp message, claimed he had been picked up by security operatives in a “drone” operation for posting politically sensitive content on TikTok.
His location remained unknown for weeks, despite efforts by his internship supervisor and university authorities to trace him.
Secret detention
More than a month after his disappearance, Tumwine appeared before court on July 30. He was charged with two offences under the Computer Misuse Act: hate speech and malicious information.
According to Police Form 53, filed under Entebbe CBR 817/2025 and signed by D/SP Comfort Byamukama, the charges stem from a TikTok video shared in May 2025 through his account @elsontumwine.
In the video, Tumwine accused President Museveni of orchestrating the 1989 Mukura massacre in Teso region and accused speaker Among of selective reconciliation. Tumwine pleaded guilty during proceedings presided over by grade one magistrate Edigar Tusiime, though reports suggest he may have done so under pressure from security operatives who allegedly advised him to avoid complicating his case.
Count One – Hate Speech: “Tumwine Elson stated that Museveni burnt a full train of human beings in Mukura, Teso Region, and that a thousand people were killed and dumped in a swamp opposite Soroti University by the Banyarwanda who came to help him…” Count
Two – Malicious Information: “…shared malicious information through TikTok belittling President Museveni and stating that he only apologized to the Baganda, suggesting he overlooked other parts of Uganda where worse atrocities were committed.”
On Tuesday, August 5, Tumwine was sentenced to two months imprisonment by Magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis at Entebbe Magistrate’s court.
Tumwine becomes the sixth TikTok user in recent months to be sentenced for content deemed offensive to the president or his family under the controversial Computer Misuse Act, which critics argue is being used to criminalize online dissent.
His kidnap and trial have reignited debates on digital rights and freedom of expression, particularly among students and activists who view the act as a tool for clamping down on government critics ahead of the 2026 elections.
“How shall we live in a country where dissenting opinions are being sidelined?” asked Ismael Basalirwa, Guild Representative Council (GRC) member and former Guild presidential aspirant under the National Unity Platform (NUP).
“There should be no limitation to free speech in a democratic dispensation. I am disappointed in the courts, even when there is clear precedent like Charles Onyango Obbo vs. Attorney General.”
Human rights organizations have condemned the incident as a violation of due process, citing Tumwine’s incommunicado detention, lack of access to legal representation, and apparent coercion to plead guilty.
Analysts warn that such prosecutions risk chilling political engagement among young people, who are increasingly using platforms like TikTok to express views in a country where traditional media is tightly monitored.
As Uganda approaches a critical election cycle, the balance between free speech and state control over digital spaces remains a key battleground in the fight for civil liberties.
Yes, society leaders MUST do so by example … and I agree that we need sanity in our society; meaning selective overzealous application of the laws is a blatant fuel for perhaps sectarianism.
Personally, I have heard of that speculation from Elson, more than 2 decades ago, and I think this same story landed a senior journalist in trouble too. May be some of these things ought to be closed out and justice, if any, be properly administered.
QUESTION: Who of you overzealous “security” operatives is expediting the apprehension of this public leader that’s on book proudly boasting about holding people in his dungeon and even threatening to behead or those other rhetoric? Remember, this guy too uses computer/technology to pour out his heart and backs it up with actions many time?! Isn’t he injuring other persons in Uganda and disturbing their peace, moreover a high profile public leader at that? Are the laws meant for the helpless to observe then the “rank and file” are above them?
I reckon Uganda is not animal farm estate, right? Of course, I can guarantee you as a parent, what you’re doing is part of the examples responsible for a poor Uganda tomorrow … and your very children and grandchildren will be part of it too!!!
Now also, consider the repercussions as we enter into elections period. As one other current public leader put it many years ago, “Politics is about okutunula mu kamwa!” So, we shall see as the stage unfolds and who has the right to not be “looked there”.
INTEGRITY!!
In other words, the security operatives superintended OVER by the son of our 84-years-old PROBLEM OF AFRICA, who commit crimes against humanity through illegal arrests, abduction, detention in ungazetted facilities such as Gen Muhoozi’s basement and tortured; are the patriots.
But their victims like Elson Tumwine, who protest thru the social media, about the human rights violation/crimes against humanity, are the ones prosecuted and punished by the courts.
What a country we find ourselves, where there is nowhere to run to a report about naked and raw injustices and/or state inspired violence/abduction and forced disappearances and extrajudicial murders.
Typical of this lazy and ignorant, and backward African government. This uncivilized long serving African government seems unaware of international laws of publications. It acts as if it is the one that owns and processes such a mass communication publishing company as TickTock. One believes the government of Uganda receives lots of tax revenue from such a rich international company. Any way the government of Uganda has all the rights as a customer of TickTock to complain to this major international company so that it does not publish TikTok video materials that are critical of President Yoweri Museveni and speaker of parliament Anita Among. Mind you such so called nasty materials have already been published to about a billion people all over the world even when the poor African student, Elson Tumwine, was under lock and key for several months! To lock up such a young TickTock publisher who is a mere student for months or to kill him will not at all stop his publication to continue to be published massively!