Larry Madowo warns netizens against AI-generated images after Bobi Wine abduction reports
By Cynthia Lodite, January 17, 2026Cable News Network (CNN) African correspondent Larry Madowo has warned citizens against artificially generated images after images surfaced online linking Uganda’s presidential candidate Bobi Wine to an abduction.
In a post on his official X account on Saturday, January 17, 2026, Larry explained that the recent images circulating online indicating that Bobi Wine was arrested are altered images from six years ago.
While warning netizens against AI, Madowo asked netizens to assume everything they see is fake until proven otherwise.
“Someone darkened a 2021 picture to cheat the world into thinking that a helicopter was flying over Bobi Wine’s home at night. In this AI era, assume everything you see is fake until proven otherwise,” Larry tweeted.
Bobi Wine reported abduction
The warning comes just moments after Ugandan police dismissed reports circulating online that opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, was abducted overnight and taken to an undisclosed location.
In a televised interview on NBC Uganda television on Saturday, January 17, 2026, Uganda’s police spokesperson said the allegations, which appeared on various social media platforms and were amplified by some of Wine’s relatives, were false and deliberately misleading.
“I would like to state on behalf of the Uganda Police Force in respect to allegations that are making rounds in some media spaces,” the spokesperson said.
According to the police boss, the perpetrators of the information found their way to other communities that have access to social media platforms, especially outside Uganda.
“They have also found their way to other communities that have access to social media platforms, especially outside our jurisdiction,” he added.
On his part, the claims suggesting the National Unity Platform leader had been arrested or kidnapped were fabricated.
“The allegations are being made that Mr Kyagulanyi, who is a presidential candidate, has been arrested and taken to an unknown location,” he said.
“Some of these allegations are being paraded by his family members.”
The police spokesperson insisted that the reports were part of a coordinated attempt to portray Ugandan security agencies as abusive.