from HASSAN ONYANGO in Kampala, Uganda
Uganda Bureau
KAMPALA, (CAJ News) – UGANDA is considering a policy to block or severely restrict repeat serial abusers of cyberspace.
This is part of plans to curb what a senior official has described as the weaponisation of the internet, amid a rise in disinformation, hate speech and online abuse, as well as terrorism and financial crime.
Nyombi Thembo, Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), said the regulator was working with Parliament to establish tight legal frameworks that allow for targeted “denial of service” for serial offenders, similar to withdrawing driving licences from irresponsible drivers.
“When regulators act, serial offenders often cry foul under the banner of ‘infringing on liberties’,” he said.
“However, policymakers must remain firm and distinguish between the genuine exercise of rights and deliberate harm to society.”
Thembo was speaking this past weekend after a recent meeting between the UCC and the ICT Committee of Parliament.
“We remain committed to working closely with Parliament, industry stakeholders, and the public to ensure a secure, fair, and thriving digital ecosystem in Uganda,” he assured.
Denial of service refers to a technical mechanism that permanently blocks or severely restricts repeat bad actors from accessing a system, network or service.
It requires a structured, multi-layered defence strategy, with layers including automated internet protocol (IP) banning, geographical blocking and reputation-based filtering.
In Uganda, Thembo noted, historically, telecoms regulation focused strictly on technical assets such as spectrum, competition and type approvals.
He noted instances in Uganda when internet access was restricted for millions of citizens because of the malicious activities of a few users.
“Over 20 million Ugandans rely on digital networks for empowerment, enterprise, and entertainment. They should not suffer because of a few bad actors,” Thembo said.
– CAJ News