Cabinet has approved the 2015 Anti Pornography Regulations so as to ease the implementation the Anti-Pornography Act of 2014.
The Minister of Information Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi told journalists in a news conference that the reviewed law will address the ambiguity that surrounded the Act and ease its applicability in Uganda.
According to the Minister, the scrutiny of the provisions of the Act was necessitated by the criticism from sections of women activists who felt that the law would infringe on their rights.
In some urban areas, there were reports of attacking and undressing women due to what Muhwezi said was a narrow definition of pornography.
Following the subsequent clearance of the Act by Cabinet for implementation, the Ministry of Ethics and Integrity was asked to formulate clear regulations to operationalize it.
“The new guidelines bar obscene publications, staging of erotic and nude drama/dances ans also prohibit broadcast of sexually explicit material in form of still pictures, video footage and vulgar presenter utterances on our media air waves,” said the Minister on Thursday.
Cabinet has also authorized the Minister of Ethics and Integrity to issue a statutory instrument to gazette the Anti-Pornography regulations of 2015 to allow immediate enforcement. This comes weeks after Cabinet constituted a Pornography control committee whose task will be to look out for, confiscate and destroy pornographic material.
On the proposed Ugshs 2Bn pornography detector by Integrity Minister, Fr. Simon Lokodo weeks ago, Muhwezi said the implementing Ministry was free to use whichever means they found effective.
“Cabinet does not discuss those details so it’s up to the Ministry to choose how to implement it as long as it doesn’t go against the law,” said Muhwezi.