Kampala, Uganda: The Senior Presidential Advisor of Bazzukulu and Head of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, has distanced herself from a surge of fraudulent social media accounts impersonating her, mostly on popular vlogging platform TikTok, warning that scammers are actively using her identity to defraud unsuspecting Ugandans.
In a strongly worded statement, Namyalo clarified that she does not operate any account on TikTok, urging the public to treat any such profiles as criminal fronts. “I am not on TikTok. Please ignore anyone using my name to ask for money or promise assistance. Those are fraudsters,” she cautioned.
Hajjat’s warning follows the emergence of multiple fake accounts bearing her name and image, some of which have attracted thousands of followers while posing as official channels linked to her office.
The impersonators reportedly lure victims with promises of financial support, including school fees, startup capital, and facilitation to meet President Museveni, before directing them to continue conversations on WhatsApp, where they demand so-called “processing fees” through a non-existent Hajjat Namyalo Foundation.
Growing Pattern of Impersonation
Namyalo’s case mirrors recent high-profile crackdowns by security agencies targeting similar cybercrime networks.
Earlier this year, police arrested four suspects in Iganga for impersonating First Daughter Natasha Museveni Karugire on social media, after fraudsters created fake TikTok and WhatsApp accounts to solicit money from victims.
Authorities revealed the suspects used multiple SIM cards and mobile phones to run coordinated scams targeting individuals seeking financial assistance, charging “registration” and “facilitation” fees.
In the same operation, security agencies also moved to disable a wide network of impersonation profiles, reportedly over 150 fake accounts linked to Natasha Karugire’s identity, highlighting the scale and sophistication of the schemes.
Police say such operations are becoming increasingly organised, with fraudsters exploiting the names of prominent public figures to gain credibility and manipulate vulnerable citizens.
Namyalo emphasized that any legitimate communication or support initiative linked to her office is conducted strictly through verified and formal channels, not through unsolicited social media interactions.
The development hightlights a growing digital fraud crisis in Uganda, where impersonation scams are rapidly evolving across platforms like TikTok and WhatsApp, often targeting individuals in urgent financial need.
Security agencies have since urged the public to avoid sending money or personal information to unverified accounts and to report suspicious profiles immediately.
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