Just two weeks after the Constitutional Court delivered a major blow to one of Uganda’s most controversial internet laws, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is pushing back with a clear message: the internet is not a free-for-all.
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On March 17, 2026, the court annulled several high-profile sections of the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022. The struck-down provisions had criminalized “hate speech,” sharing unsolicited or malicious information, unauthorized access to data, and general “misuse of social media.” The ruling was widely hailed by digital rights activists, lawyers, and ordinary Ugandans as a landmark victory for freedom of expression. Many celebrated online with posts declaring “We won!” and calling the decision a check on government overreach.
But today, UCC took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify that the celebrations may have been premature regarding genuinely harmful online behavior.
In an official advisory (accompanied by a detailed public notice graphic), the regulator reminded citizens that cyber harassment, cyber stalking, electronic fraud, and similar offenses remain firmly illegal. These acts are still prosecutable under surviving sections of the Computer Misuse Act, the Penal Code Act (non-defamation parts), the Data Protection and Privacy Act, and other statutes.
“Following recent developments, Uganda Communications Commission reminds the public that responsible use of communication platforms still matters,” the UCC posted. “Let’s use digital platforms to build, not harm. Report misuse to UCC or the Uganda Police.”
The notice explicitly addresses a surge in reported misuse since the court ruling. UCC says many users appear to believe that all online regulations have vanished, leading to increased incidents of digital violence — particularly against women — including non-consensual image sharing and blackmail. Reactions on X have been largely supportive but reveal lingering confusion.
Civil society groups and legal voices continue to frame the March 17 decision as a win against overly broad speech restrictions that had chilled online discourse for years. The UCC’s intervention highlights a familiar tension across Africa’s growing digital economies: how to protect free speech while curbing real-world harms like fraud, stalking, and gender-based online violence.
With Uganda’s internet user base expanding rapidly, the regulator is betting that clear communication — and active reporting channels — can prevent the ruling from being misinterpreted as a green light for chaos. For now, the message from UCC is blunt: the court may have trimmed the law, but the rules against using the internet to hurt people are still very much in force.
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