By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Government has warned of escalating exposure to pornography and rising moral decadence among Uganda’s youth, saying the trend threatens the country’s social transformation agenda and future prosperity.
Joel Wanjala, the Under Secretary at the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President, said pornography, indiscipline and violent behaviour are increasingly taking root in schools and communities. He linked the vice to poor parenting, broken families, drug abuse, reckless sexual behaviour and the unchecked influence of social media.
“Our dream is to achieve a modern and prosperous country by 2040, but if we do not address moral decadence, we may not realise it,” Wanjala said.
He noted a surge in teenage pregnancies, abortions and consumption of pornographic content among students, both in and out of school. Wanjala also pointed to emerging trends such as nude shows and sexually explicit entertainment in urban centres as signs of a weakening national value system.
“Duty bearers, including parents and teachers, are also abusing the trust of children under their care,” he added.
Wanjala said government has put in place policy measures, including the National Ethical Values Policy of 2013, aimed at rebuilding a morally upright society anchored on principles such as integrity, patriotism and social responsibility.
He said the Directorate is rolling out sensitisation programmes in secondary schools and higher institutions to promote ethical values and behavioural change among young people.
In addition, government enacted the Anti-Pornography Act in 2014 and established the Pornography Control Committee to curb the vice.
Dr Annet Kezaabu, a member of the Pornography Control Committee, warned that children are increasingly being exposed to explicit content through mobile phones and digital platforms, putting them at risk of sexual exploitation.
“What we are witnessing is not harmless consumption. It is a dangerous normalisation of child sexual exposure,” she said.
Kezaabu cited studies indicating that some offenders convicted of defilement admitted to using pornography to lure victims. She added that children are being groomed online, manipulated into sharing explicit content and, in some cases, trafficked for sexual exploitation.
She said early exposure distorts children’s development, fuels addictive behaviour and contributes to mental health challenges, including suicidal tendencies.
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) said it has received numerous complaints about the spread of pornography across telecom and broadcasting platforms.
A UCC representative revealed that telecom operators recently blocked over 500 pornographic websites following a directive issued on April 2.
Head of Public and International Relations at UCC, Ibrahim Bbossa said the commission is enforcing minimum broadcasting standards that prohibit content deemed immoral and require proper scheduling of adult material.
“Adult content should be appropriately scheduled at least past midnight. While we have tools of enforcement, we need to work together with the consumers and other stakeholders. There is a lot to do together,” Bbosa said.
However, Wanjala admitted that enforcement remains weak despite existing policies.
Officials called for a multi-sectoral approach involving parents, schools, religious institutions and the media to combat the vice.
“We cannot fight this battle alone. The media must help shape public awareness and promote national values,” Wanjala said.
