Cartoonist Spire Jimmy Ssentongo has Fled to Exile, Alleging Threats to his Life.

Celebrated Uganda cartoonist Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo has dispelled rumours that he has fled into exile over frequent threats on his life from security.

Different news websites run stories alleging that the weekly observer newspaper cartoonist, who is also a lecturer at Makerere University and Uganda Martyrs University secretly flew to the United States of America for political asylum because his life was in danger.

These websites further accused Ssentongo of disguising as an asylum seeker to look for greener pastures.

However, in an exclusive interview with theGrapevine, the soft-spoken cartoonist rubbished the allegations.

“Whoever wrote that is just looking for public attention and I think he has achieved it. When you look at the article itself you realise the motive of the writer. There is no reason why I (should) run into exile,” he said.

He insists that the story is meant to malign him through planned propaganda.

He further says that he is still investigating to find out the motive of the writer because he has never received any threats from security agencies the years he has worked as a cartoonist.

Spire recently drew a cartoon showing a young general reporting to his father that he had clobbered a lanky fellow for abusing him.

Many who saw the cartoon warned Spire that the drones are soon coming for him.

The allegations of Spire’s arrest came days after author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija sneaked into self-exile claiming threats on his life.

He accused Gen. Muhoozi of commanding security operatives to torture him to the point of death.

He joins other authors like Stella Nyanzi who is also in self exile in Germany.