Agency
Police in Lira City Central Division have arrested a 39-year-old man for allegedly abusing President Yoweri Museveni in a viral video circulating on social media.
The suspect, Fred Okuja, a resident of Anai Oki Cell, Anai Ward in Lira City West Division, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon under the Computer Misuse Act.
The video, shared widely on TikTok and WhatsApp, reportedly contained hate speech directed at the President.
In the recording, made in both English and Leb Lango, Okuja accused President Museveni of being “barbaric” for allegedly blocking Jimmy James Michael Akena’s presidential nomination bid.
He further accused the President of marginalizing Northern Uganda, contrasting it with his home area of Rwakitura, where he claimed cattle had been distributed to every household.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the North Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest, saying police acted upon reviewing the video and are currently investigating the matter.
If convicted, the offence under the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022, carries a penalty of a fine, imprisonment of up to one year, or both.
Meanwhile, the High Court sitting in Kampala has upheld the decision of the Electoral Commission not to nominate Jimmy James Michael Akena as Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party flag bearer for the 2026 presidential elections.
