Timothy Kalyegira reported under police custody after missing for days

• Kalyegira is expected before Kira Magistrates Court over computer misuse charges.

• His whereabouts had been unclear since Friday, raising concern among family and colleagues.

• His case follows recent reports of arrests involving Miria Matembe and Erias Lukwago.

• The charges have renewed debate on online speech and the Computer Misuse Act.

Journalist and political commentator Timothy Kalyegira is expected to appear before Kira Magistrates Court today over computer misuse charges, days after his reported disappearance raised concern among family, neighbours and colleagues.

Kalyegira had not been seen since Friday. His phone reportedly went off, and his whereabouts remained unclear throughout the weekend.

On Monday morning, reports said he had been taken to Kira Magistrates Court for arraignment.

Human rights lawyer Tumusiime Kato, who was at court, said Kalyegira faced charges linked to content allegedly posted on X.

"Colleagues, @TimKalyegira is now at Kira Magistrates Court on charges related to Computer Misuse. We should all stand in solidarity with him," Kato posted on X.

Kato had earlier said Kalyegira had reached court and was expected to take plea "anytime soon."

The specific posts behind the charges had not been made public by press time.

Kalyegira has always been critical of government.

His case comes amid growing concern over recent arrests and reported detentions of public figures and critics.

Former Ethics minister Miria Matembe was recently reported missing before relatives said security had arrested her after a raid on her home. Former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was also arrested and later charged with misprision of treason.

The two cases sparked public concern over the role of security agencies in arrests involving political figures and critics of the state.

By press time, the police and the Judiciary had not issued a statement on Kalyegira’s arrest or the charges.

The case has also renewed debate on the Computer Misuse Act and freedom of expression online.

In March 2026, the Constitutional Court nullified key provisions of the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022. The court ruled that Parliament passed the amendments without the required quorum.

The ruling affected provisions that critics said had been used against journalists, activists and social media users.

The original 2011 Computer Misuse Act still applies to offences such as hacking, unauthorised access, electronic fraud and other cyber-related crimes.

Kalyegira is one of Uganda’s best-known political commentators. He writes on governance, security and current affairs.

This is not his first encounter with the courts. In 2010 and 2011, he faced sedition and criminal libel charges over articles published on his platform, including commentary on the July 2010 Kampala bombings.

The charges were dismissed in 2015.

His latest prosecution has drawn attention from journalists, lawyers and digital rights activists, who question the continued use of computer misuse charges in cases linked to online commentary.