The Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022

The Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022, passed by the Parliament of Uganda in September 2022, is a dangerous and deliberate assault on freedom of expression, civic space, digital rights, and human rights in the country. Cloaked in the language of “public order” and “cybersecurity,” the law introduces vague, overly broad, and repressive provisions that grant state actors unchecked power to surveil, arrest, and prosecute individuals for online speech. In practice, it criminalizes dissent, intimidates journalists, silences activists, and weakens democracy in Uganda.

This law is not just an update to technology regulations. It is a political tool used to restrict voices—especially those of civil society actors, opposition figures, LGBTIQ persons, artists, and media workers—who dare to question the status quo.