MWE Correspondent
A video circulating on social media purportedly shows the President of Uganda warning journalist Larry Madowo against producing a report similar to the post‑election investigation in Tanzania.
But digital forensics experts say the clip is not authentic — the audio has been manipulated using artificial intelligence, and the content does not match any publicly documented interview.
The video appears to be recycled from a longer 2023 interview, with the president’s voice overlaid on a doctored script intended to lend urgency and weight to the message. Analysts describe it as a classic example of a deepfake — a digitally altered media file used to mislead viewers by presenting false statements as genuine.
Uganda is scheduled to hold national elections in January 2026. Observers have warned that as political tensions rise, misinformation and manipulated media may proliferate. The fake clip is viewed by many as an attempt to pre‑emptively intimidate or discredit journalists perceived as critical of the regime.
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Media watchdogs and civil‑society organizations have urged Ugandans to treat such viral content with caution. They stress that no credible source or official archive has published any record of the warning attributed to the president. Until an authenticated video or transcript emerges, the clip must be considered unreliable.
Independent digital‑security experts point out that deepfake technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated, capable of mimicking tone, pitch and rhythm of real voices — making detection difficult without specialized tools. As a result, even viewers familiar with the president’s voice can be deceived.
In response to the growing threat of misinformation, authorities and media regulators in the region are being called upon to strengthen fact‑checking mechanisms, promote digital‑media literacy among citizens and establish transparent verification procedures ahead of the upcoming election cycle.
