The Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate has charged and remanded Swabu Kakaire alias One One UG and Ronald Mayega alias Omunyarwanda wa Bobi until September 18th, 2026, for allegedly publishing false sodomy claims against the Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara.
According to the Uganda police spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan, Racheal Kawala, the two were arrested on September 1st, 2026, in connection with alleged publication of fake news and the unlawful obtaining or disclosure of personal data on social media platforms.
Kawala also reminded and warned all members of the public and mostly those on social media to desist from publishing or sharing unconfirmed information as this could lead them into trouble.
“Members of the public are reminded to use social media platforms responsibly and to respect the privacy and personal data of others,” Kawala warned.
Kakaire and Mayega, who were remanded on Tuesday, September 8th, 2026, join a list of many other social media users who have been arrested and charged before courts of law for publication of fake news and the unlawful obtaining or disclosure of personal data on social media platforms.
In Just August 2026, Remmy Asiteza, the Daily Express editor was remanded to Luzira Prison for allegedly publishing false reports about the Minister for the Presidency, also Benson Muyingo, a TikTok content creator was charged with posting videos accusing a security chief of land fraud.
As of 2026, Uganda does not appear to have a standalone offence simply called “fake news,” but laws have been used to restrict the publication or sharing of false or harmful information. The main framework has been the Computer Misuse Act, particularly provisions concerning online communications, although Uganda’s Constitutional Court ruled in March 2026 that the Computer Misuse Amendment Act of 2022 was void because Parliament had failed to establish the required quorum when it was passed. The Court also struck down criminal-libel provisions as unconstitutional, emphasizing the protection of freedom of expression.
Therefore, it would be inaccurate to say that Uganda currently has a general law that simply bans “fake news”; instead, liability may arise where false or misleading content falls within another valid offence, such as harassment, defamation, fraud, or other prohibited conduct.
