Victoria Winfred Bagaaya Akiiki, the aspiring Woman Member of Parliament for Fort Portal City, has found herself at the center of a growing online controversy following accusations of copyright infringement and a wave of digital attacks that some suspect are coordinated and politically motivated.
The storm began when a Ugandan graphic designer, posting under the handle @phatgraphicsug, publicly accused Bagaaya’s campaign team of using his creative work without payment. According to the designer, Bagaaya’s team—specifically an individual referred to as “Drake”—used campaign materials before making the agreed-upon down payment, despite prior warnings not to do so.
“I am not accepting anything from you guys,” the designer wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s now a copyright infringement. You used my work before any down payment, and I warned your guy ‘Drake’ not to use any of my work before paying for it. Learn to respect the time we invest in this.”
In her defense, the former NBS TV news anchor saod that she borrowed the idea of her campaign poster when she had gone to cover the recent elections in Ghana which were won by H.E John Mahama. Additionally, Bagaya said that this graphic designer did not do any work and she had intended to not respond to these allegations.
However, the designer’s public refusal of payment and subsequent copyright claim has only intensified scrutiny around her campaign.
What began as a dispute over creative rights has now morphed into a wider political narrative. Following the designer’s post, a surge of online criticism has been directed at Bagaaya—much of it appearing to come from influencers and users aligned with the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP). Some observers suggest the backlash may be coordinated and possibly sponsored, aimed at undermining Bagaaya’s credibility as an NRM (National Resistance Movement) candidate.
This incident adds to a growing trend of online hostility faced by NRM-affiliated candidates, especially on social media platforms where NUP supporters dominate the digital space. Many NRM hopefuls have reported personal attacks, coordinated smear campaigns, and the weaponization of social media to derail their political efforts.
For Victoria Bagaaya, the incident poses a serious challenge as she seeks to position herself as a fresh voice for Fort Portal City. While her response to the poster controversy may have been an attempt to distance herself from unauthorized campaign actions, the designer’s claims have opened her up to questions about ethics, professionalism, and transparency within her team.
As the 2026 election campaigns begin to heat up, this case serves as a cautionary tale for candidates and creatives alike—highlighting the need for clear contracts, mutual respect, and accountability in all campaign-related engagements. Whether Bagaaya can regain control of the narrative remains to be seen, but for now, she finds herself navigating rough political waters both online and on the ground.
