Uganda Prisons Threatens Fired Officer Over TikTok Criticism With Arrest
KAMPALA, Jan 6 – The Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has publicly warned a recently dismissed officer to cease all public commentary or face arrest on defamation charges, escalating a confrontation over civil servant speech and social media use.
The warning targets former prisons warder Lawrence Ampe, who was dismissed last month after an investigation into his TikTok posts. In the videos, Ampe—identified by service number 17974—alleged widespread corruption, human rights abuses, and the mistreatment of junior officers by senior UPS officials.
A prisons spokesperson confirmed the dismissal and the subsequent gag order. “He was dismissed for acts contrary to the Uganda Public Service standing orders. Now, if he continues with his utterances, he will be charged with defamation,” the spokesperson stated, according to a report by The Brief post. “We warn him to shut up.”
Ampe was officially dismissed in a letter dated December 17, 2025.
The case highlights the tightening space for dissent, particularly from within state institutions. While authorities cite the need for discipline and the protection of the service’s reputation, critics see it as part of a broader pattern of silencing critics ahead of and following the contentious January elections.
“This is a clear intimidation tactic meant to instill fear in any government employee who might think of exposing wrongdoing,” said a human rights advocate familiar with the case, who requested anonymity. “It conflates criticism with defamation and undermines accountability.”
Efforts to reach Ampe for comment were not immediately successful. His legal representative, however, has previously argued that his client’s posts were a whistleblowing effort on matters of public interest.
The warning follows a recent government ban on live streaming protests and riots, underscoring official sensitivity to uncontrolled narratives on digital platforms. The UPS’s move against a former employee signals that such restrictions extend beyond traditional media to personal social media accounts, even for those no longer in service.
Ampe has not been charged as of this report, but the prisons service insists that any further public statements from him will result in criminal proceedings.
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