Buganda Kingdom officials have accused the leadership of the National Unity Platform (NUP) of hiring influencers to harass Kabaka and Kingdom officials on social media platforms.
The officials issued the statement following the arrest of Ibrahim Musana, a NUP influencer, after a police investigation revealed that he was one of many NUP influencers targeting the Kabaka and other Buganda officials.
The arrest follows Kingdom officials filing a formal complaint at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), headquarters in Kibuli, on February 17.
Sources close to the Kingdom state that Musana revealed that he has been earning a living by harassing Kabaka, Kingdom officials, and government officials.
“Musana, when arraigned in court, asked for forgiveness and promised not to post negative propaganda again. He also told the police that he was just a regular influencer, until he was approached by the NUP leadership to post negative content about kingdom and government officials at a fee,” the source said.
Ibrahim Musana was arrested by police on February 17, 2024, for posting defamatory videos about the Kabaka on social media. He was arraigned in court on February 23, 2024, then remanded to prison for one week on March 8, 2024, and released on April 29, 2024. He asked to be pardoned and promised not to repeat it.
According to Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga, the Kingdom is aware of the people paying influencers and using social media to harass Kabaka and Kingdom officials.
“The people harassing us and the Kabaka are well known to us, even the people paying them; these are members of the youngest political party in central Buganda, the National Unity Platform (NUP), whose intentions are known; they hire people to attack anyone who disagrees with their beliefs,” Mayiga said.
Mayiga said that the people who hound the Kabaka about his health and attack him relentlessly are paid to do so and earn a living harassing people on social media while using politics as a scapegoat.
“Fortunately for us, we know them; we even know the people paying them; they have agendas, which unfortunately they cannot realise by using us; they think they can pull the kingdom into their selfish interests of fighting the government; we are above that and will not be dragged into their agendas,” Mayiga stated.
He, however, stated that the majority of the people in the kingdom are patriotic and supportive and do not subscribe to the hatred preached by the few.
“The majority of the people in the kingdom are understanding and are firmly behind us; they trust what we tell them, so it does not destabilise; it does not knock us down, as you can see,” Mayiga remarked.
Buganda Kingdom officials have stated that they will continue to investigate and report cases involving those who attack Kabaka and his officials.
