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Ugandans Raise UGX30 Million for Cartoonist Jimmy Spire Ssentongo in Less Than 48 Hours

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Ugandan cartoonist Jimmy Spire Ssentongo — Ugandans raised UGX30 million in less than 48 hours for cartoonist Jimmy Spire Ssentongo following a court ruling.

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Ugandans raised 30 million Ugandan shillings (UGX30 million) in less than 48 hours for cartoonist, academic and columnist Jimmy “Spire” Ssentongo, following a court ruling in his ongoing legal dispute with Kampala International University (KIU).

The fundraising campaign began after Ssentongo was found in contempt of an earlier court order restricting him from publishing new material deemed damaging to the university’s reputation.

The latest ruling does not concern one of Ssentongo’s cartoons. It stems from a March 18, 2026 post on X about his dispute with KIU.

The dispute began over UGX15.57 million in tuition fees that Ssentongo said had been paid to KIU for the children of his late brother. After the students decided to attend another institution, Ssentongo said difficulties arose over having the money refunded or transferred for use by other students. He later took the issue to social media. KIU argued that his subsequent post breached the existing court order.

High Court Civil Division Registrar Kintu Simon Zirintusa found Ssentongo in contempt of court. He was ordered to pay a UGX10 million fine within 14 days or face three months in civil prison. The court also ordered him to pay UGX20 million in punitive and exemplary damages to KIU, as well as legal costs.

A public fundraising campaign quickly followed the ruling. More than UGX24 million was raised during the first 24 hours. According to The Observer in Uganda, the campaign reached the UGX30 million target by Monday afternoon, less than 48 hours after it began.

Ssentongo is known in Uganda not only as an academic and activist but also for his political cartoons. He has contributed to The Observer since 2006, with his work frequently addressing corruption, governance, human rights and the use of political power.

The distinction between his cartooning and the current court case is important. The contempt ruling was not issued over a cartoon, but arose from his social media comments about KIU and the restrictions imposed by the earlier court order.

Ssentongo is also one of the recipients of the 2026 Kofi Annan Courage in Cartooning Award, which he shared with Palestinian cartoonist Safaa Odah.