This archive report was first published on 4 August 2021.
On Tuesday, Ugandan security agents arrested Fred Lumbuye, a supporter of the National Unity Platform (NUP), who is suspected of being the mastermind behind the rumors that President Yoweri Museveni had died after contracting Covid-19.
Lumbuye had previously announced that the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, was dead, further spreading false information.
President Museveni had taken oath of office following Uganda's January general election and had embarked on tasks to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Supporters of Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, had taken to social media to keep him relevant in the public sphere, announcing that President Museveni had died in June and July this year.
Following Lumbuye's arrest, a security source was quoted saying, 'He has been tracked for some time, and he was finally arrested. Lumbuye had several players behind him. It is time for truth-telling and for him to reveal whoever was involved in feeding him with falsehoods to cause acrimony.'
His arrest comes weeks after President Museveni tasked security forces on June 8 to urgently step up and hunt all social media users who declare prominent Ugandans dead.
President Museveni had said, 'Social media has been saying that Museveni is dead. They [Security service] should locate very quickly the one who tells such a story. Security service should solve that problem. I need to check with them [security service] so that we go for you. If you're in Europe, we denounce you and say go to hell because you are wasting people's time.'
Reports state that Lumbuye was picked up by security agents as he returned to his residence on Tuesday evening in Turkey, but his colleagues claimed that he was arrested by the Ugandan embassy in Turkey as he tried to renew his passport.
State House officials insist Lumbuye will be brought back to answer to the charges that will be preferred against him in court.
