Mirroring tabloid styles in other countries, the paper is known for its mix of sensationalism, scandal, and frequent nudity.
[1] The paper has received the ire of the Ugandan government for publishing conspiracy theories relating to the death of Sudan's Vice President John Garang in a helicopter crash and revealing that former foreign minister James Wapakhabulo died of AIDS.
[2] In August 2006, Red Pepper published the first names and occupations of prominent Ugandan men who it asserted were gay.
This decision was sharply criticized by Human Rights Watch, which said that the publishing could have exposed the men to government harassment because homosexuality in Uganda remained illegal.
This happened soon after the paper had published a letter allegedly written by Army General David Sejusa, threatening that those opposing Muhoozi Kainerugaba for presidency risked their lives.