By Kabuye Ronald
Buganda Road Magistrates Court has formally charged Anderson Burora, the former Rubaga Division Deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC), with offenses related to hate speech and spreading malicious information concerning the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Annet Anita Among.
Burora appeared before the court where he pleaded not guilty to all charges leveled against him. The charges specifically accuse him of using social media platforms to disseminate information intended to ridicule, degrade, demean, and promote hostility against Speaker Anita Among. This allegedly occurred between March 2024 and June 2024, using the handle ‘@harderHB’.
The prosecution argued that Burora’s actions were in violation of laws governing hate speech and the dissemination of malicious information. He was arrested from his residence in Ntinda Kigowa, Nakawa Division, Kampala, on Monday and initially detained at Kira Police Station before being transferred to Central Police Station in Kampala.
The origins of the case trace back to Burora’s involvement in an online campaign aimed at promoting accountability within Parliament, titled “UgandaParliamentExhibition”. During this campaign, concerns were raised regarding the expenditure of taxpayer money within the Parliament. Burora, expressing his concerns, focused particularly on the Speaker’s expenditures.
His activities reportedly drew warnings from his supervisors at the Office of the President, where he was employed. Subsequently, on March 14, he was suspended by the Secretary to the Office of the President, Haji Yunusu Kakande. Following his suspension, Burora continued advocating for accountability in public spending, which led to his subsequent legal troubles.
