Uganda Jails Makerere Student Two Months Over TikTok Criticism of Museveni

Elson Tumwine, a final-year student at Makerere University in Uganda, has been sentenced to two months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of offensive communication for posting a TikTok video critical of President Yoweri Museveni and Parliament Speaker Anita Among. Tumwine's video accused Museveni of selectively apologizing to the Baganda ethnic group while ignoring alleged atrocities in other regions, including claims of killings and abuses aided by foreign soldiers. His disappearance for two months following the post sparked widespread concern and allegations of illegal detention by security forces before he reappeared in court. The court cited Tumwine's cooperation and plea for leniency when imposing the custodial sentence. This case has intensified worries among human rights activists about freedom of speech in Uganda, especially with the upcoming presidential election where Museveni seeks to extend his nearly four-decade rule. Tumwine is among several TikTok users prosecuted under Uganda's Computer Misuse Act for criticizing the government.