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
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Further Reading
[email protected]: The challenges of working across Africa
Misinformation knows no borders and Africa Check often responds to similar false claims from country to country.
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