Magala Balikyewunya, widely known as
Mzee Magala, is a social media personality. He became popular after building a storeyed house near his homestead that holds his own prepared grave and one for his chosen heir. His story of rising from extreme poverty to relative wealth made him well known on TikTok, Facebook and mainstream media.
Magala was charged with attempted murder and remanded to
Butuntumula Government Prison on Thursday, November 5, 2026. He is due back in court on November 12, 2026.
Police confirmed the arrest and remand, but the identity of the alleged victim and the circumstances of the charge have not been disclosed. He has not been convicted, and he is presumed innocent.
Early on Sunday, November 8, 2026, while Magala was in prison, a
fire damaged his home at Bunyaka Village, Luwero Town Council, in Luwero District.
Claim:
A video circulating online shows a snake on the ground in front of a building It is presented as showing that, after Mzee Magala’s house burned, only a snake survived, and that Magala’s wife told people to leave it alone and not harm it.
Findings:
No credible report mentions a snake or the wife’s alleged instruction. The Daily Monitor report and other coverage we reviewed say nothing about a snake at the scene, or about Magala’s wife speaking to onlookers.
JamiiCheck compared the circulating video with the original footage, which does not contain a snake. The people, the building and the background are the same in both, and the snake appears only in the version being shared with the claim. Click
Here to see Original Footage.
Verdict: MISLEADING/FALSE
There is no evidence that a snake was the only survivor of the fire at Mzee Magala’s home, or that his wife told people to spare it.
