The Uganda People’s Congress has applauded the recent decision by Uganda’s Constitutional Court declaring key provisions of the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022 null and void, emphasizing its importance in defending freedom of expression and constitutional governance.
Addressing the press at Uganda House in Kampala on March 18, 2026, UPC spokesperson Sharon Arach Oyat described the judgment as a landmark victory for constitutionalism, rule of law, and democratic space.
The court’s decision arose from the consolidated constitutional petitions 34, 37, and 42 of 2022, challenging the Act’s compatibility with Article 29 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.
Arach noted that the Act had been used to suppress dissenting voices, particularly among opposition politicians and youth activists.
“In a political landscape of multi-party politics, the Act targeted free speech, one of our fundamental rights. People were being arrested and convicted under a law that contravenes the spirit of our Constitution,” she said.
Muzeyi Faiso, UPC’s head of media and communications, further commended the Court for protecting citizens’ civil liberties.
He urged state actors to align existing laws with constitutional guarantees and called for the release, closure of cases, and compensation for those affected by the now-nullified law.
The Constitutional Court ruled on March 17, 2026, that Parliament passed the Act without the required quorum, violating Articles 88 and 89 of the Constitution.
The judgment is widely viewed as a major precedent reinforcing the primacy of constitutional safeguards over legislative overreach and ensuring protection of democratic freedoms in Uganda.
