UCC Pushes for Lighter Copyright Penalties in Amendment Bill Debate
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has advised Parliament to scale down proposed punishments for copyright infringement, arguing that the government’s plan for a 10-year jail term and a UGX 50 million fine is excessively punitive.
Appearing before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Abudu Sallam Waiswa, UCC’s Head of Litigation, Prosecution & Legal Advisory, said the regulator supports protecting creatives but urged lawmakers to adopt penalties that are both fair and enforceable.
“We note the circumstance under which that proposal could have been made. The creatives have for long cried that people are indeed breaching their rights without clear remedies,” Waiswa observed.
The Copyrights and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025, currently prescribes 2,500 currency points (UGX 50 million) and a 10-year custodial sentence for offenders. But Waiswa told MPs the penalties should be adjusted to 1,000 currency points (UGX 20 million) and a maximum of five years in prison.
“We feel that 2,500 currency points is a little bit high, that is about UGX 50 million. We feel that we could balance the interests of both parties and maybe reduce this to 1,000 currency points (UGX 20 million) and maybe custodial sentence of not more than five years as opposed to the 10 years that are currently captured in the bill,” he said.
He stressed that UCC is not downplaying the plight of creators but wants legislation that fosters compliance without overburdening offenders.
“The idea is to safeguard the interests of both the creatives and the public, striking a balance that encourages compliance without being excessively punitive,” Waiswa noted.
The committee is still scrutinizing the amendment bill, with UCC’s input forming part of wider consultations on how best to strengthen copyright enforcement in Uganda.
