By Spy Uganda
Hon. Dr. Fred Mukasa Mbidde is planning on taking legal action against the Zambian government over the fictitious advert that appeared in the country’s newspaper, using his image without his consent.
The advert featured an individual who identifies himself as “Chief Mohammad,” a traditional healer, claiming to offer solutions to various problems, including marital issues, financial problems, and success in politics.
Through his law firm of Mbidde & Co. Advocates, he issued a letter to the High Commission of Zambia in Nairobi, Kenya, alerting them of his intent to initiate legal proceedings for defamation and unauthorised exploitation of likeness.
”We hereby address you regarding a matter of utmost severity involving the unauthorized nefarious exploitation of our client’s image by an individual who self-indicates as “Chief Mohammad” within the jurisdiction of Zambia. This individual is audaciously employing our client’s likeness to promote himself as a traditional healer thereby inflicting substantial harm upon Dr.Mbidde’s esteemed reputation,” the Law firm writes adding;
”Our client Dr. Mbidde is a distinguished Advocate in all courts of judicature, a venerated authority in regional integration and a former member of Parliament representing Uganda in the East African Legislative Assembly. As such, the fraudulent utilization of his likeness in conjunction with the dubious services proffered by “Chief Mohammad” constitutes an egregious misrepresentation and poses a significant threat to Dr. Mbidde’s professional integrity and public standing.”
Mbidde argues that the misuse of his image has caused significant damage to his reputation and professional integrity, with the individual audaciously posing as Mbidde to sell services ranging from solving marital problems to enhancing financial luck.
The advert in question shows an image of Dr. Mbidde, labelled as “Chief Mohammad,” with text promoting traditional healing services and providing a phone number for further contact.
The notification emphasizes that such fraudulent use of Mbidde’s image for commercial gain is a violation of defamation and intellectual property laws, causing reputational harm and misrepresenting Mbidde’s character and career.
As a result of the above, Mbidde’s legal team has formally demanded that the Zambian government take immediate action to investigate the matter and ensure the cessation of the advert’s circulation. They have also called for a compensation payment of $1 million to rectify the injury caused to Mbidde’s name, along with legal costs amounting to $10,000.
The demand stipulates a 30-day period for the Zambian authorities to resolve the matter.
”Should this egregious situation remain unresolved within a period of 30 (thirty) days from the date of this correspondence, we shall have no alternative but to initiate legal proceedings against the implicated parties for defamation, unauthorized exploitation of likeness and any other pertinent claims. We trust that such measures will be rendered unnecessary and a swift resolution can be achieved to safeguard the integrity and reputation of Hon. Dr. Fred Mukasa Mbidde, the Law firm warns.
About Mbidde
Fred Mukasa Mbidde is a Ugandan lawyer, human-rights activist, mass communication specialist, motivational speaker and politician. He is a former member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), representing the Republic of Uganda. He has been in this office since June 2012.
He is a member, a former chief legal advisor, the chairman Masaka district and the current national vice president of the Democratic Party, (DP). He is also a member of the Pan African Lawyers Union and the Coalition for an Effective African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Court Coalition).
He has been his own boss over the years. He has run businesses that include among others, The Financial Times newspaper (1999–2000), a Forex bureau (1999 to-date), a Radio Station in Rwanda, a law firm Mbidde & Co Advocates (2011 to-date), the Mbidde Foundation headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, etc.
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