The Independent Online Journalists Association-Uganda (INDOJA-U) has called for an overhaul of the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill.

The bill proposed by Kampala Central Member of Parliament, Hon. Muhammad Nsereko, among other things, prohibits the sharing of any information relating to a child without authorization from a parent or guardian.

The bill also prohibits the sending or sharing of information that promotes hate speech and provides for the prohibition of sending or sharing false, malicious and unsolicited information among others.

The Independent Online Journalists Association now wants the committee on Information Communication Technology (ICT) to overhaul the bill which it says, inhibits free speech and freedom of expression.

Appearing before the ICT Committee on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 that was chaired by Hon. Nathan Nabeta Igeme, the President of the Association, Andrew Irumba Katusabe, said that most of the issues the bill is seeking to address are already addressed in other laws like the provisions that duplicate the Data Protection and Privacy Act, the Penal Code Act, the Interception of Communications Act, which if deleted, leaves the bill hollow.

Katusabe said the proposal which states that a person, who without authorization, accesses or intercepts any program or another person’s data or records another person’s voice or video, as well as shares any information about another person, commits an offence, limits research, investigative reporting and holding people accountable.

“I am a journalist; if I am investigating someone on corruption allegations which in most cases is done stealthily and the law says I must first get his permission, is that still investigative journalism?”
Irumba

Online platforms have efficient check systems

Irumba also added that as journalists, they do self-regulate but also the several online platforms like twitter, facebook among others have efficient systems of checking for fake news, crime and hate speech among others which have resulted into the removal of some accounts.

Joel Mucunguzi, the legal advisor to the association said that Nsereko’s bill should have looked at regulating cyber flashing where obscene pictures are sent to strangers’ online, cyber harassment and revenge pornography and not working towards crippling freedom of expression.

Mucunguzi further noted that the proposed law takes away powers of writers and journalists to express themselves but yet, these are fundamentals when it comes to free speech.

“They could amend and repeal those provisions especially in relation to freedom of speech; the idea is that they should at least do better bench marking looking at the different cybercrimes in other countries and borrow them, instead of creating different crimes”.
Joel Mucunguzi

Hon. Bashir Kazibwe, the Kawempe South Member of Parliament tasked the members of the online association to explain how they ensure their members meet the minimum standards.

Ibanda District Woman MP, Hon. Jane Bainomugisha, said that the rate at which people are being harassed is alarming.

Nabeta, the chair of the committee asked the online media owners to write a detailed statement in regards to their objections on the new bill. She said for instance, posting a man or woman on news or social media because of an ailment she or he has should be regulated.

She however, noted that the committee will go on to talk to several stakeholders before it can make its report on the proposal.