Jailed Journalist Remmy Asiteza applies for bail

What the report says

Jailed Daily Express journalist Remmy Asiteza has asked Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court to grant him bail as he faces charges of publishing fake news and broadcasting without a licence, according to The Independent Uganda. He appeared before Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa in Kampala on Wednesday with three proposed sureties, presented through his legal team led by Yasin Ssentumbwe Munagomba.

The sureties identified in court were friends of Asiteza: Samuel Kizito, a software developer; Emmanuel Adowa, a surveyor; and Irene Rukundo, who works in reservations and IT. His lawyers urged the court to release him on lenient terms after explaining the responsibilities attached to being sureties. Prosecutors, led by Chief State Attorney Joan Keko, asked for time to review the bail papers before responding.

The magistrate adjourned the matter to September 21, 2026, when the prosecution is expected to reply. The case, registered as BUG-CO-1200/2026, stems from allegations tied to a Daily Express website story published in July 2026 and to claims that the outlet operated without a licence from the Uganda Communications Commission. Asiteza has denied the charges.

The report places his case in a wider trend of legal action against journalists and online broadcasters in Uganda over alleged false information and licensing violations. That broader context, as noted by the publisher, includes other recent cases involving online media figures, though the outcomes of those matters have varied.