• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

CCEDU petitions EC over stringent laws on social media users ahead of 2021

Elisha Z. Bwanika by Elisha Z. Bwanika
5 years ago
in News
2 0
CCEDU's Charity Kalebbo. Ahimbisibwe

CCEDU's Charity Kalebbo. Ahimbisibwe

ShareTweetSendShare

Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy [CCEDU] – a civil society organisation charged with electoral monitoring and promoting democratic governance has revealed that they have partnered with some legal Aid providers to scrutinize some of the democratically unfriendly legislations in place that may impede a fair democratic process ahead of the 2021 general elections.

CCEDU has since petitioned the Electoral Commission on how best the laws can be applied without gravely affecting voters ahead of 2021 elections.

In a statement issued by the organisation on Monday, concern was drawn to some guidelines issued y the Electoral Commission issued for the campaigns of candidates for District/City Lord Mayors, Municipality/City Division Chairpersons, Sub County/Town/Municipal Division Chairpersons, and the respective councillors, the additional pieces of legislation that shall be used to judge whether the process has been adhered to by candidates and voters are.

These include: The Uganda Communications Act, 2013, The Uganda Communications (Content) Regulations, Act, 2019, The Public Health (Control of COVID – 19) Rules, 2020 (SI 83/2020), The Computer Misuse Act, 2011, The Uganda Communications (Text and Multimedia Messaging) Regulations 2019 S.I 83/2019.

These pieces of legislation especially the Computer Misuse Act, section 24 and 25 according to CCEDU means that posting opinions on social media about important persons might attract the charge of cyber harassment for whoever posts information through social media platforms.

“Critiquing those in power will be a crime under section 25 of the same act and yet critiquing the powers that be in a political season is one way of helping voters decide on the most credible candidate to vote for,” the statement reads in part.

It’s argued that much as the Computer Misuse Act was enacted to deal with the question of cyber crime, CCEDU insists it’s been largely abused by the country’s security organs to suit the interests of their employers.

They for instance single out Section 25 of the Act which criminalises the wilful and repeated use of ‘electronic communication to disturb or attempt to disturb the peace, quiet or right of privacy of any person without purpose of legitimate communication.’

CCEDU faults the The Act for not clearly defining what ‘offensive communication’, is, but simply referring to communication that ‘disturbs’ someone else’s peace, quite or right of privacy.

This act denies the right to fair trial because it takes the criminalisation approach and imposes heavy punishments for actions that constitute offences under the Act.

“Almost all misconduct in this Act is punishable not corrective. It is mainly Government critics that have been charged using the Computer Misuse Act, which is likely to further constrain an already complicated COVID-19 Election,” CCEDU further notes.

They are further concerned that the electoral processes and campaigns for District/City Lord Mayors, Municipality/City Division Chairpersons, Sub County/Town/Municipal Division Chairpersons, and the respective councillors are also going to be subjected to the provisions of public health (Control of COVID-19) which they say will particularly infringe on the right to assemble, associate and freedom to movement.

These three rights CCEDU says are key in helping citizens to take part in the conduct of public affairs, including the right to vote and to stand for election.

They therefore suggest that since the 2021 electoral processes are prohibitive to the voters in the light of a pandemic, it is prudent that less stringent laws are used in the conduct of electoral processes.

“CCEDU is with a team of legal AID service providers and organisations that promote tworkinghe rights of citizens in an Electoral process to study these pieces of law and advise the Electoral Commission on how to apply them without further constraining an electoral process that is burdened by a pandemic.” The statement concludes.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto
News

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54
News

New business lounge commissioned at Entebbe International Airport

4th July 2025 at 16:40
News

Jinja Hospital Boss Dr. Yayi Calls for Improved Maternal and Child Health Services To Curb Birth Asphyxia

4th July 2025 at 16:36
Next Post
Gen David Muhoozi and Moses Kibalama

CDF Muhoozi finally speaks out on meeting NUP's Kibalama, reveals what they really discussed

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1109 shares
    Share 444 Tweet 277
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2286 shares
    Share 914 Tweet 572
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    27 shares
    Share 11 Tweet 7
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    43 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    119 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Hon. Raphael Magyezi

Yara East Africa and Asili Agriculture Launch Agri-Hub in Kiryandongo to Advance Farmer Knowledge and Food Security in Uganda

4th July 2025 at 19:06
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0
Hon. Raphael Magyezi

Yara East Africa and Asili Agriculture Launch Agri-Hub in Kiryandongo to Advance Farmer Knowledge and Food Security in Uganda

4th July 2025 at 19:06
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda