Fred Lumbuye dispels arrest reports, says social media pages hacked

• Fred Lumbuye denied reports that he had been arrested in Turkey.

• He said hackers took over his social media accounts and posted false information.

• Lumbuye has long been known for anti-government commentary from exile in Turkey.

• He was previously detained in Turkey in 2021 over immigration-related issues and online activities.

Turkey-based Ugandan government critic Fred Lumbuye has dismissed reports that he was arrested, assuring fans that only his social media accounts had been compromised.

Rumours of his alleged arrest started circulating on Thursday speaking fear among his followers.

The reports emerged weeks after Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba made public remarks directed at the Turkish Ambassador to Uganda regarding Lumbuye.

On Thursday morning, several posts appeared on pages linked to him, including “Lumbuye Fred”, “Lumbuye Broadcasting Service TV” and “Fred Kajubi”.

Some of the posts claimed that Lumbuye had “quit the struggle”, while another alleged that several National Unity Platform (NUP) officials were government agents planted within the opposition party.

However, neither Turkish nor Ugandan authorities had officially confirmed any arrest by Thursday afternoon.

In a video message shared later on TikTok, Lumbuye told his followers that he was safe and had not been detained.

“I wish to inform all my followers and supporters of change you should not be afraid, I have not been arrested,” Lumbuye said.

“As you know I go to sleep at midnight, but when I woke up this morning I found many messages informing me that my pages had been taken.”

He said he later confirmed that hackers had gained access to the accounts and were posting messages without his knowledge.

“I wish to inform Ugandans to remain calm; whatever happened was done by extremists who have their own intentions. Whatever was written, I am not responsible and I have no access to the pages. I will inform you of the new pages I am opening,” he added.

Lumbuye has for years remained one of the Ugandan government’s most vocal critics while living in Turkey. 

He became widely known for using social media platforms to attack senior government officials and comment on Uganda’s political affairs, especially during and after the 2021 general elections.

In 2021, reports emerged that he had been arrested in Turkey over immigration-related offences and accusations of spreading harmful propaganda online. 

At the time, Ugandan authorities said he would be deported to Uganda to face charges, although opposition figures and his supporters claimed he had been targeted because of his political activism.

Lumbuye later spent months in detention in Turkey before he was released in October 2021. 

He had previously attracted national attention after spreading false claims online that President Museveni had died in Germany and that the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, had also died. 

Despite repeated controversies surrounding him, Lumbuye has continued to command a large online following among opposition supporters in Uganda and the diaspora.