The Computer Misuse Amendment Act will save the bullied on social media, says Norbert Mao

The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Hon Norbert Mao (@NorbertMao) has come out to support the new law on computer misuse that awaits the President’s signature to become an Act of parliament. #WhisperEyeNews #UgandaNews

Mao says that there are enough truths to be said about this government with this law only being a threat to those who have been abusing the freedom of free speech adding that free speech can’t be used to defend the abuse of free speech as many social media bullies do.

The Democratic Party President Mao adds that the toxicity in this country comes from spreading false news and thus this law will be a good shock absorber to curb those whose aim is to blackmail and dehumanize others on social media.

He further added that he is personally a victim of social media bullying and thus he feels relieved that the lawmakers have come out to save thousands of Ugandans who had no law to protect them.

” This law will make our fingers slow down on social media. The same God who loves us has hell. I think many people wouldn’t be behaving if there was no hell.” He said

‘You saw what they wrote about Hon. Kyagulanyi’ Bobi Wine-s son in Kisubi. Very unfortunate things written about a young boy. This Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill protects that boy.” He added

Last week parliament passed the controversial Amendment of the computer misuse Act which was a private members bill fronted by the Kampala Central Member of parliament Hon Muhammed Nsereko

The object of the Bill, key provisions , says, “…to prohibit the sharing of any information relating to a child without authorisation from a parent or guardian; to prohibit the sending or sharing of information that promotes hate speech; to provide for the prohibition of sending or sharing false, malicious, and unsolicited information,”

Persons convicted under this act will be barred from holding public office for 10 years.
“…to restrict persons convicted of any offence under the Computer Misuse Act, 2011 from holding public office for a period of 10 years,” reads the section

Nsereko while fronting the Bill said Ugandan’s privacy rights are affected by bellicose messages on social media which violation he said extends to children and has to be curbed.

Nsereko’s Bill also creates the offence of hate speech.
“A person shall not write, send or share any information through a computer, which is likely to- (a) ridicule, degrade or demean another person, group of persons, a tribe, an ethnicity, a religion or gender; (b) create divisions among persons, a tribe, an ethnicity, a religion or gender; or(c) promote hostility against a person, group of persons, a tribe, an ethnicity, a religion or gender,” reads the new amendment’s definition of hate speech.

The bill had been criticized by us in the online media since its viewed as a way of silencing the entire online daily investigative reporting.

The Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill which creates a new set of offences punishable with lengthy jail terms and fines now awaited president Museveni signature to become law.

However Uganda Law Society last week resolved to challenge this bill as soon as President Museveni signs the bill .