An image of what looks like the front page of Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper of 19 November 2020 with headline “203 killed as riots erupt across the country” has been widely shared on Facebook.
A summary below the headline reports “widespread protest” across Uganda’s capital, Kampala, as police clashed with protesters following the arrest of presidential aspirants Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, and Patrick Amuriat.
The two were arrested on 18 November, and the police have reportedly accused Kyagulanyi of “doing an act that is likely to spread infectious diseases (Covid-19)”.
Data from CrowdTangle, Facebook’s public insights tool, shows the post sharing the front page was quickly gaining attention just hours after it was published. But is this really what was published on 19 November? We checked.

The edition published by the Daily Monitor is completely different. It carries the headline: “3 killed as riots erupt in towns.”
The newspaper has also cautioned its readers that the front page with the headline claiming 203 deaths is photoshopped.
“It has come to our attention that a fake front page purported to be that of the Daily Monitor is making rounds on social media. Please disregard,” the newspaper said on Facebook. – Dancan Bwire
A summary below the headline reports “widespread protest” across Uganda’s capital, Kampala, as police clashed with protesters following the arrest of presidential aspirants Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, and Patrick Amuriat.
The two were arrested on 18 November, and the police have reportedly accused Kyagulanyi of “doing an act that is likely to spread infectious diseases (Covid-19)”.
Data from CrowdTangle, Facebook’s public insights tool, shows the post sharing the front page was quickly gaining attention just hours after it was published. But is this really what was published on 19 November? We checked.

Image photoshopped
The edition published by the Daily Monitor is completely different. It carries the headline: “3 killed as riots erupt in towns.”
The newspaper has also cautioned its readers that the front page with the headline claiming 203 deaths is photoshopped.
“It has come to our attention that a fake front page purported to be that of the Daily Monitor is making rounds on social media. Please disregard,” the newspaper said on Facebook. – Dancan Bwire
Republish our content for free
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
Add new comment