KAMPALA — The family of Ugandan child internet sensation Tenge Tenge has accused his former manager of taking control of the young star’s social media accounts and allegedly denying the family access to revenue generated from his globally successful YouTube channel.
The dispute, which has sparked widespread debate on social media, centres around ownership and earnings from the “Tenge Tenge” brand, whose comedy skits and viral dance videos have amassed more than 4.26 million YouTube subscribers and over 1.6 billion views worldwide.
Tenge Tenge, whose real name is Rango, rose to international fame through humorous skits characterised by his signature facial expressions and energetic dance routines, making him one of Uganda’s most recognisable online personalities.
Speaking during a recent interview alongside his father, the young content creator claimed that his former manager, identified as Michael Kabonge, took over the family’s social media platforms following a disagreement.
According to the family, despite the massive global success of the YouTube channel, they allegedly received only small amounts of money from the platform, sometimes less than USD 200, which they say was insufficient to meet even basic needs such as school fees.
Tenge Tenge’s father emotionally recounted the family’s struggles, saying they were shocked by the low payments allegedly declared to them despite the channel attracting millions of views across the world.
“The channel is huge, but we have continued struggling. Sometimes we were told it earned only around 100 dollars,” he reportedly said during the interview.
The allegations have triggered public concern over the management and protection of child content creators in Uganda’s rapidly growing digital entertainment industry.
Media personality Douglas Lwanga, commenting on the issue, described the situation as troubling and called for support for the young creator.
“Teng Teng is no ordinary creator — he is now a globally recognised Ugandan content creator,” Lwanga posted on X.
He noted that the young star’s popularity had grown beyond Uganda, with merchandise bearing his image reportedly being sold online and international streamer IShowSpeed collaborating with him during a recent African tour.
“However, it looks like there have been traces of child exploitation from his management. The boy urgently needs support and justice,” Lwanga added.
Social media users have since rallied behind the family, with many calling on authorities, lawyers, and industry stakeholders to intervene and help the child regain control of his digital platforms.
Some users also appealed to government officials and public figures to support the young star, arguing that his talent had helped showcase Uganda to a global audience.
Reports indicate that lawyers have now stepped in to assist the family in efforts to reclaim the accounts and establish ownership of the content empire built around the Tenge Tenge brand.
The former manager, however, reportedly maintains that he created and managed the accounts, a claim that has fueled the ongoing dispute.
The controversy has reignited conversations about digital rights, contracts, and the protection of minors in Uganda’s online entertainment space, especially as more young creators gain international audiences and generate significant revenue through social media platforms.
