A fundraising campaign has been launched on X to help activist, academic and cartoonist Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo raise Shs30 million imposed on him by the High Court in a contempt of court case.
The campaign, led by activist Agartha Atuhaire and supported by National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, seeks to raise the money to prevent Ssentongo from serving three months in civil prison.
The campaign has attracted support from Ugandans on X, with contributors calling for solidarity with Ssentongo, who has emerged as a prominent voice on social and public accountability issues.
Atuhaire said the campaign had so far raised about Shs12 million, with supporters continuing to contribute towards the court-ordered payment.
“We have so far received UGX 12,000,000 for @SpireJim,” Atuhaire posted on X.
The High Court Civil Division in Kampala ordered Ssentongo to pay Shs30 million after finding him in contempt of an existing injunction issued in a defamation case filed by Kampala International University (KIU).
The dispute arose from a post Ssentongo published on X concerning Shs15.57 million in tuition fees initially paid to KIU for two of his nephews.
Ssentongo alleged that the two had paid their tuition fees in full but later changed universities before beginning their studies at KIU.
According to his post, KIU officials subsequently agreed to transfer the money to two other students already enrolled at the university, but the arrangement was not implemented.
“Two nephews of mine were admitted to KIU and they paid fully (15,570,000/-). For some reasons they changed to another university before they started at KIU. Having failed even to get the partial refund provided for in the University’s policies, they talked to the DVC FA for the option of transferring the fees to two other students who were already at KIU. He accepted and said it was sorted. But it never reflected on the system, and they continued demanding for fees from the two students until they paid not to miss exams. One year later, they haven’t transferred the fees!” Ssentongo posted on March 18, 2026.
KIU subsequently returned to court, arguing that the publication breached an existing injunction restraining Ssentongo from publishing information concerning the university that was considered injurious or unsubstantiated.
Registrar Kintu Simon Zirintusa found that Ssentongo was aware of the court order and had the ability to comply with it but failed to do so, resulting in the contempt finding.
The court consequently ordered Ssentongo to pay Shs30 million to KIU or serve three months in civil prison.
The ruling has since triggered renewed debate on X, with Ssentongo’s supporters portraying the fundraising campaign as an act of solidarity with the public commentator and a response to what they regard as restrictions on freedom of expression.
The campaign is continuing, with supporters calling on more Ugandans to contribute towards clearing the court-ordered fine and preventing Ssentongo from serving the custodial sentence.
