The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has officially summoned popular singer Rebecca Kukiriza, known as Chosen Becky, to answer for the alleged exploitation of children during her recent wedding festivities.
The summons, dated December 17, 2025, follows the viral circulation of images from a ceremony held on Monday, December 15.
The Ministry alleges that children were used to carry placards bearing messages targeting adults—a move officials say exposed the minors to “emotional harm, public controversy, and online exploitation.”
“Children Are Not Instruments”
In a stern statement, the Ministry emphasised that while they respect the right to privacy and freedom of expression, children must remain off-limits in adult disputes.
“Children must never be used as instruments in adult disputes, publicity stunts, or social media controversies,” the statement read. “Children are innocent, vulnerable, and entitled to protection, dignity, and care from parents and guardians, regardless of past or present disagreements between adults.”
The Ministry cited several legal frameworks, including the Children Act, Cap. 59: Highlighting the child’s right to protection from emotional and social abuse and the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019, which restricts the publication of children’s personal data and images without lawful justification.
Expected Actions
The State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, has ordered Chosen Becky to appear at the Ministry offices on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
According to the official document, the singer is expected to formally withdraw the actions involving the children, issue a public apology acknowledging that children should not be involved in adult controversies, provide a written commitment never to involve children in personal or social disputes again and delete all social media posts related to the controversy.
A Warning to Influencers
The summons serves as a “stern warning” to all public figures, artists, and socialites in Uganda. The Ministry noted that social media popularity does not exempt individuals from child protection laws and warned that it will not hesitate to take further legal action against anyone found undermining the welfare of children for “publicity or content.”
