Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye remains in custody awaiting trial on security-related charges after he was allegedly abducted in Kenya in November 2024 and sent home. To protest his detention, Besigye’s supporters and human rights activists have staged demonstrations in Kenya and Uganda to have him released amid reports of his deteriorating health. A post shared on X claims to show a video from one of these protests held in Uganda’s capital Kampala in February 2025. But this is false; the footage was taken in the town of Mbale during a campaign rally for opposition politician Bobi Wine in September 2023.
“‘Release Besigye’ protests in Kampala,” reads an X post published on February 20, 2025.
Screenshot of the false post, taken on February 28, 2025
In the video, a large crowd of people in red slowly make their way along a street while waving flags, as a motorcade passes between them. Loud music and singing can be heard.
The post has been shared and liked more than 1,000 times.
Besigye is an outspoken critic of President Yoweri Museveni and over the years he has been arrested and jailed multiple times (archived here).
After he was allegedly abducted in Kenya last year, Besigye appeared in a military court in Kampala on November 20, 2024, with his longtime ally and co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale (archived here and here).
Both have denied charges related to breaches of security and unlawful possession of firearms.
Concerns about Besigye’s deteriorating health prompted demonstrations for his release in Kenya and Uganda in February 2025 (archived here, here and here).
However, the post claiming the video shows the pro-Besigye protests in Kampala is false.
Bobi Wine rally
AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches on keyframes from the clip and found a live stream of the same event published on YouTube by “BCM Uganda” on September 6, 2023 (archived here).
The BCM Uganda channel publishes content about the opposition party National Unity Platform (NUP) and its leader Bobi Wine.
The video is titled: “LIVE: H.E PRESIDENT BOBI WINE LIVE MBALE EDITION.”
Mbale is a city in Uganda’s Eastern Region.
AFP Fact Check matched identical shop signs for a Tecno, Calcare Service and a laboratory in both videos.
Screenshots comparing the false post (left) and the YouTube live stream published in 2023
Using Google Maps, we established the video was shot along Plot 10 Pallisa Road in Mbale, more than 220 kilometres from Kampala.
The rally was part of Wine’s NUP nationwide mobilisation tour (archived here).
Wine, whose dominant party colour is red, also published images from the rally on his Instagram account (archived here).
Other Ugandan media outlets also reported on the Mbale rally (archived here and here).
