Inside story: Ronnie Mulinda. How starry-eyed teenagers are lured into lucrative porn industry in Uganda

Filmmaker and actress Faith Katushabe Phoebe, popularly known as Fey Tusha, has shared her account of how young women are allegedly recruited into Uganda's online adult content industry.

Speaking in an interview with fellow actress Shamim Mayanja, alias Zubedah Byantalo, on Executive Media (YouTube), Faith said she first encountered the alleged recruitment efforts while still a teenager.

According to Faith, a musician she respected introduced her to the idea.

She said the musician (female) initially asked her to help recruit her friends for an acting project.

But during the interview, the musician who is allegedly married to a senior civil servant, asked Faith whether she watched pornography. She said no, after which the musician allegedly showed her explicit videos and explained how much money performers could earn.

Faith claimed she was told actresses could make millions of shillings from short videos and that participants would work in a controlled environment, that is, the filming would be private.

She said recruiters assured potential performers that actors underwent medical testing before filming and that the content would only be sold to foreign audiences. According to her, they were promised about Shs500,000 per episode.

Faith said she was later encouraged to recruit fellow actresses.

She also made several allegations against former Obsessions manager Ronnie Mulindwa, whom police are currently seeking in connection with an alleged online prostitution and adult streaming operation.

Faith claimed she met Mulindwa while she was still in secondary school. She alleged that many of the young women around him were below the age of 20.

She recalled one film project where, according to her, most participants were teenagers, including Mulindwa's then-girlfriend, who was 19.

Faith further alleged that Mulindwa recruited young women into different entertainment projects, including the TV series Prestige, produced by Nathan Magoola and bankrolled by Multichoice. She said Mulindwa exploited many of these girls.

One of Mulindwa's former girlfriends, Sharon O, a member of the girl group Obsessions that he once managed, has previously said she started spending time with him while on her Senior Four vacation. The two later entered a relationship and had a son, Lisbon Sidney Mulindwa, who was born in 2008.

Sharon O also worked with Ronnie Mulindwa in music management for a period, including during the management of singer Lydia Jazmine. Faith said Mulindwa had mastered the art of show business and image management.

She claimed he often appeared in luxury vehicles, although many were borrowed or hired. Some consumers of Ugandan adult content have claimed it is among the most expensive in the world to subscribe to. Several Telegram channels have also emerged to market and promote such websites.

OnlyFans is among the platforms Ugandans have used to sell adult content. One of the most prominent Ugandans to open an OnlyFans account is TikTok personality GoldViv.

She also claimed that some powerful individuals were aware of such activities but failed to act.

Mulindwa has not publicly responded to the allegations.

Faith's claims come days after police announced a major operation targeting an alleged online prostitution and adult streaming network.

On June 1, detectives from the Directorate of Crime Intelligence arrested 27 women during a raid on premises allegedly used for adult content production and online streaming.

Police said the women were found inside a building where they were allegedly being filmed for paying audiences abroad.

Investigators alleged that the operation was managed by Ronnie Mulindwa, Martin Male and a woman identified only as Zeisha. The three remain at large.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala said investigations were ongoing and efforts to arrest the suspects had intensified.

Police said many of the women had been recruited from Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Masaka, Lyantonde and parts of Busoga.

Among those arrested was Vivian Gobera, whom police identified as Mulindwa's girlfriend.

According to police, Gobera told investigators that recruited women were assigned new identities to conceal their real names from relatives and acquaintances.

Police also said the operation targeted customers in Western countries and that access to the streams was blocked in Uganda and other East African countries.

Investigators further alleged that some women were hired to entertain wealthy clients at private parties and high-end hotels in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono.

Mulindwa is a well-known figure in Uganda's entertainment industry.

He previously managed the girl group Obsessions, whose members included Sharon O, Natasha Sinayobye, Helen Lukoma and Cleopatra Koheirwe.

Sharon O previously said she started spending time with Mulindwa while on Senior Four vacation. The two later had a relationship and share a son, Lisbon Sidney Mulindwa, who was born in 2008.

She also worked with Mulindwa in music management, including during a period when they managed singer Lydia Jazmine.

Faith claimed Mulindwa cultivated an image of wealth and success, often appearing in luxury vehicles.

Meanwhile, online subscription platforms such as OnlyFans have created new ways for adult content creators to earn money globally. Several Ugandan creators have used the platform, including social media personality GoldViv.

Consumers of Ugandan adult content have also noted that some locally produced content commands premium subscription prices compared to similar content from other countries.

Police investigations into the alleged operation remain ongoing.