The Kampala Central Member of Parliament, Hon. Muhammad Nsereko has on Tuesday tabled the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill for first reading.

The Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among has referred the bill to the Committee on Information and Communications Technology for processing.

The Bill, seeks to impose tough penalties for offenders sharing, sending or promoting false or malicious information.

Clause 2 of the Bill seeks to amend section 12 of the Computer Misuse Act to criminalize hacking of another person’s electronic device and publishes information obtained therefrom.
“A person who, without authorisation,(a) accesses or intercepts any programme or another person’s data or information; (b) voice or video records another person; or (c) shares any information about or that relates to another person, commits an offence,” reads Clause 2.

Nsereko prescribes a Shs15 million, seven years in jail or both such imprisonment and fine.

According to proposals from the MP, Persons convicted , 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 object.

On children without the consent of persons responsible for them will be an offence if the new Bill succeeds.

“A person shall not send, share or transmit any information about or relating to a child through a computer unless the person obtains consent of the child’s parent, guardian or any other person having authority to make decisions on behalf of the child,” reads clause 3.

The punishments remain the same, Shs15 million in fines, seven years in jail or both.

Nsereko’s Bill seeks to create 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 Bill’s definition of hate speech.

Sharing of unsolicited information, of malicious or misleading information, will all earn one seven years in jail, Shs15 million in fines or both stringent punishments.