Ugandan Government Under Pressure to Ban TikTok

The Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, has asked the government to ban TikTok. He says many people are misusing the social media platform to cause problems among Ugandans.

Speaking at Old Kampala mosque during Idd-ul-Fitr prayers on Sunday, March 30, 2025, Sheikh Mubajje said TikTok is being used by people who waste time, look for attention, and attack others. He warned that it could lead to violence.

“TikTok has become a problem, and I think the time will come when it will erupt into violence. When we had Facebook, the government of Uganda closed it, but I think TikTok is worse than Facebook. I think TikTok is not being regulated,” Sheikh Mubajje said.

He added, “I, for one, recently was in a country where TikTok is nonexistent. Then I said, oh, this is good, because TikTok is for idlers, for content seekers, for those who have no sense to say. So I would request that the government looks into this. TikTok is useless.”

According to the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), about 5.5 million Ugandans use TikTok.

Sheikh Mubajje said some people using TikTok are misleading others, including Muslim sheikhs. He said these sheikhs are spreading wrong messages and creating divisions in the Muslim community.

“I will be grateful if TikTok is banned because it is useless. Even the Sheikhs using it are misleading people; they are abusing people but also bring petty things that are misleading and causing disunity among the Muslims,” Sheikh Mubajje said.

Sheikh Mubajje’s leadership has been a big issue among some Muslims. His five-year term extension as Mufti caused disagreements, with some people going to court to challenge the decision.

Many people on TikTok criticized Sheikh Mubajje when news spread that he should have retired on March 12, 2025, at the age of 70, as per the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) rules.

However, on March 13, 2025, UMSC confirmed that Sheikh Mubajje, now 70, and his deputy, Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa, 72, got a five-year extension in office. But some Muslims are against this, saying it is against the rules.