Amnesty International asks Uganda to scrap controversial Computer Misuse Act

Amnesty International has asked Uganda to scrap the new controversial Computer Misuse Act which they say severely restricts the right to freedom of expression online and will be weaponized against critics, including political opponents if the Act is implemented as it is.

President assented to the law, which was passed by Parliament on September 8, 2022, on Thursday after it was tabled by Mohammed Nsereko an independent Kampala Central Division constituency MP who has represented it since 2011.

Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa says this piece of legislation threatens the right to freedom of expression online, including the right to receive and impart information.

“This piece of legislation threatens the right to freedom of expression online, including the right to receive and impart information, on the pretext of outlawing unsolicited, false, malicious, hateful, and unwarranted information. It is designed to deliberately target critics of the government and it will be used to silence dissent and prevent people from speaking out,” said Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa.

Section 23(A) of the Act creates the offence of “hate speech,” which includes writing, sending, or sharing of any information through a computer, which is likely to ridicule, degrade or demean another person, group of persons, tribe, ethnicity, religion, or gender. If convicted, one faces seven years imprisonment or a fine of Shs10m.

Written by Juliet Nalwooga