The Commercial Court has ordered Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda to pay UGX 185 million to Silver Kayondo in damages after finding them liable for copyright infringement, false attribution, defamation, negligence, and unlawful processing of personal data.
The ruling was delivered in the case of Silver Kayondo v Monitor Publications Ltd and Others, where the court found that Kayondo’s post on X (formerly Twitter) had been republished and altered without his permission.
The judgment, delivered on July 27, 2026, followed an ex parte hearing after the defendants failed to comply with pre-trial requirements within the timelines set by the court.
The court also noted that an application by the media houses to rejoin the proceedings in June 2026 had been unsuccessful, allowing the matter to proceed to judgment.
As a result, the court awarded UGX 185 million in damages to Silver Kayondo.
Legal analysts say the decision marks a significant milestone for content creators and digital rights in Uganda.
The ruling reinforces that media organisations can be held legally accountable for reproducing, modifying, or publishing online content without the creator’s consent, while also emphasizing the need to respect copyright law, personal data protection, and responsible journalism.
Silver Kayondo v Monitor Publications Ltd and Others (Civil Suit No. 222 of 2024) [2026] UGCommC 354 (27 July 2026)
Court awards UGX 185 million after finding Monitor Publications and NTV liable for copyright infringement, false attribution, defamation, negligence, and unlawful… pic.twitter.com/adyu1fiqYO
— Uganda Legal Information Institute (@Uganda_LII) July 27, 2026
