Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has formally approached the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to address the issue of increased social media attacks directed at her. These online attacks, as described in an October 26 statement from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), have been characterized as deliberate smear, unfair criticism, and falsified accusations.
The OPM’s spokesperson, Mr. Charles Odongtho, conveyed Ms. Nabbanja’s concerns regarding these online attacks. She believes that they consist of false, slanderous, and malicious content being circulated by certain social media users.
In response to these concerns, Ms. Nabbanja reported the matter to the Inspector General of Police on October 25, with a specific request for the Criminal Investigations Directorate to conduct a thorough investigation. The goal is to identify those responsible for sharing false, slanderous, and malicious content, ascertain their motives, and ensure they face legal consequences.
One of the pieces of content under scrutiny is a recent viral video showing an individual resembling the Prime Minister participating in celebrations with a group of men at a public event. However, Ms. Nabbanja has distanced herself from the person in the video and categorically denied any involvement. The OPM emphasized that she is not the lady in the video.
These social media attacks are believed to be orchestrated by individuals who are critical of Ms. Nabbanja, potentially aimed at diverting her focus from government mobilization and policy implementation, including anti-corruption efforts. Despite the online attacks, the OPM reiterated Ms. Nabbanja’s commitment to her constitutional role, primarily focused on her responsibilities as stipulated in Article 108A of the Constitution of Uganda, as appointed by the President.
Ms. Nabbanja has been the target of online debates and attacks, particularly concerning the whereabouts of John Bosco Kibalama, a supporter of the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP). Kibalama was allegedly abducted by security personnel in 2019 and has not been seen since. Last year, Ms. Nabbanja stated to journalists at Parliament that Kibalama was in the custody of security operatives, arrested on charges of assaulting police officers.
In a separate development, the Prime Minister achieved a significant academic milestone on Thursday, October 26, by graduating with a Master of Arts degree in Monitoring and Evaluation from Nkumba University.
