Veteran Ugandan journalist and political commentator Timothy Kalyegira has been remanded to prison after appearing before the Kira Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of operating online media platforms without the licences required by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).

Prosecutors allege that Kalyegira operated The Kampala Express, an online video production and media platform, without obtaining a broadcasting licence from UCC over a period spanning 2013 to 2026.

He also faces a separate charge of allegedly running The Uganda Records, an online publication, without the authorization required under Uganda’s communications laws.

The charges are brought under Section 28(1) and (2) of the Uganda Communications Act, Cap. 103, which requires entities providing broadcasting services to obtain licences from the communications regulator before commencing operations.

Kalyegira denied both charges when he appeared in court. Following his plea, the court ordered that he be remanded as the case awaits further hearing. The prosecution has not yet publicly outlined the evidence it intends to present during the trial.

The case is expected to attract widespread attention within Uganda’s media fraternity, as it touches on the regulation of digital media platforms and the licensing requirements for online publishers and broadcasters under the country’s communications laws.