Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, a social media activist and academic, has been awarded the European Union Human Rights Defenders Award for 2024.
Ssentongo was recognised for using his social media platform to highlight issues of accountability through “exhibitions”. This year, he was at the forefront of the #UgandaParliamentExhibition which unearthed gross misuse of taxpayers’ money by Parliament.
He received death threats and briefly went into hiding.
“This has earned him significant praise but also threats due to his exposure of wrongdoing in public life. Despite the risks, he has continued to share information and take part in public debates aimed at improving the quality of public service in Uganda,”EU said while nominating him.
Others who had been nominated for this year’s award are; Jesca Ruth Ataa a human rights defender from Kotido who leads Nakere Rural Women Activists (NARWOA), an umbrella community-based organisation for women’s groups and Doreen Kyazze a lawyer and human rights activist.
