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| Patrick Onyango Deputy Police Spokesperson |
By Kamugisha Leonard Akida
Officials from the Uganda Police have warned the public to desist from the bad habits of circulating hate and threatening messages through the use of social media platforms.
According to the statement that was issued out on Sunday, 26th August 2018, police says that they are monitoring social media contents which aim at threatening lives as well as promoting hatred amongst users.
The statement that was signed by the Police Deputy Spokesperson Patric Onyango, stated that hate speech messaging contravenes the Computer Misuse Act2011 urging victims of this to report any forms of hate speech either verbal or written to the authorities.
” Uganda police Force is mandated to protect all Ugandans and we are committed to safeguarding life and property at all times. Hate Speech and messaging contravenes the Computer Misuse Act 2012, Section 25 and the Penal Code Act, Section 51(1) (a&b) incitement to violence, ” the statement reads in part.
According to section (7) of the Computer Misuse Act2, as promulgated on 14th February,2011, a person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and forty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding ten years. https://ulii.org/ug/legislation/act/2015/2-6
Police further asked any citizen who receives any threatening message (verbal or recorded, written) to report to police on WhatsApp number 0707712019.
This comes at a time when most of the people are being attacked via social media for their political,religious and social opinions. Although the statement didn’t indicate whether or not the police have so far registered any crimes of hate messages.
