The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Buganda Road Magistrates Court has remanded Teddy Nalubowa, a supporter of the National Unity Platform to Luzira prison on charges of offensive communication.
Nalubowa also known as Tracy Manule Bobiholic on Friday afternoon was arraigned before the Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate Marion Mangeni and charged with one offense which she denied.
It is alleged that on August 23rd 2022 in Ndeeba, Rubaga division, Nalubowa willfully and repeatedly used Facebook and TikTok to disturb the peace or right of privacy of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
She reportedly did this by saying; “Tumwine finally you have died but you died long time and your boss President Museveni will also die, you will die one by one and we shall celebrate.” According to the prosecutors, there was no purpose for legitimate communication in this.
The bush war General of the National Resistance Army-NRA General Elly Tumwine died last month after succumbing to cancer, according to President Museveni.
After denying the charges, the prosecution led by Ivan Kyazze informed court that inquiries in this matter are almost complete, and Nalubowa who did not have legal representation was subsequently remanded until September 26th 2022.
Nalubowa has been charged almost two weeks after she was reported by her family and the National Unity Platform President Robert Kyagulanyi as having been missing since August 28th 2022.
Her family claimed that armed men driving in a minibus of the drone type, believed to be from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence-CMI, kidnapped her from around Masitoowa area in Nansana, Wakiso district, and she went missing since then.
She had reportedly left her rented room in Kyebando at around 06:00pm after receiving a phone call and was seen by locals being stopped and removed from a boda boda and made to board a drone.
On Thursday, the UPDF and police denied holding Nalubowa.
Nalubowa is not the only person who has been charged before Buganda Road court on charges related to disturbing the peace of President Museveni.
In 2018, former Makerere University researcher Dr Stellah Nyanzi was charged with offensive communication after posting a boorish poem attacking Esteeri Kokundeka, the late mother of Museveni, and was convicted and sentenced. The High Court later acquitted Nyanzi of all charges but after she had done time under sentence.
The same court in 2022 charged novelist Kakwenza on similar charges after posting on his twitter handle several posts among them one alleging that the President’s son Lt General Muhoozi, the Commander of the Land Forces was obese. Kakwenza has since fled the country.
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A.a.a.a.a. nup supporters whats wrong with your brain.?? Kaakati mujja kugaamba nti bamusibidde bweereere… Muyige amakulu ga “freedom of speech.” nup singa kisoboka yalivudde mugwaanga.. Please nup, NRA/UPDF Temudamu kumbamanyira kubanga eddeembe lyemwoogeza ebivundu nga mumaze okukuta ngatemulabanga ssabasabba ne homeless stuation agogona maanyi ga NRA/UPDF… Imargin, LATE GENERAL ELLY TUMWINE our freedom fighter rest internal peace..GEN.WA AFRICA WE SHALL MEET AGAIN IN HEVEN.
There has been a deliberate attempt to sabotage the freedom of speech we have been enjoying as Ugandans by certain group that condone and even encourage the mass abuse of freedom of speech, especially on social media… and unfortunately, it seems to be working.
We need to protect the freedom of speech we have been enjoying by encouraging self respect and mutual respect among our fellow Ugandans… otherwise we all lose out on something special which our neighbours can only envy.