Ugandan kids dance group video sparks storm in Brazilian presidential election ahead of rerun

Ugandan dance group Hypers Kids Africa has deleted a video promoting Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro and pledged to return cryptocurrency tokens it valued at $20,000 after the performance triggered an electoral complaint.

The controversy has drawn the Kampala-based group into Brazil’s presidential contest ahead of the October 25, 2026 run-off between Bolsonaro and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. 

The vote is a second round between the leading candidates, rather than a rerun of a cancelled election. 

Posted on October 7, the video showed children dancing in yellow T-shirts bearing the words “B22 token”, accompanied by a song urging Brazilians to vote for Bolsonaro.

The group’s caption announced that it had received 120 million B22 tokens through the partnership. In a response to BBC News Brasil, the group estimated their value at about $20,000 and said it hoped to use the proceeds to finish constructing its home in Uganda. 

B22 offered tokens to people who shared content supporting Bolsonaro, a right-wing senator and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Incumbent president Lula’s electoral coalition, however,  challenged the arrangement, alleging irregular electoral advertising, abuse of economic power and exploitation of children. It sought action against the website and related promotional content. 

Following the backlash, Hypers Kids Africa removed the video on October 8, apologised and promised to return the tokens. It said its intention was to raise money for housing, not become involved in party politics. The group did not specify when or how it would return the assets

Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court subsequently ordered the B22 website suspended. Judge Estela Aranha found indications that the scheme offered economic incentives linked to online electoral advertising, potentially undermining fair competition.

The interim measures also prohibited the offer or distribution of B22 tokens and required the preservation of relevant digital records. 

Bolsonaro’s campaign denied any connection to the project. It said it had neither hired the promoters nor financed their activities, and also sought legal action over the use of the candidate’s name and image. 

The dispute comes during a closely fought election. Bolsonaro secured about 47 per cent of the first-round vote against Lula’s 45 per cent, leaving neither with the majority needed to win outright. Voters will choose between them on October 25.