Freemuse condemns Uganda’s censorship law

The organisation's executive director, Srirak Plipat, said the draft bill, which is set to be passed by the Ugandan Parliament in March, would destroy freedom of expression.

“The legal requirement of prior approval for all key artistic expression is a major step backwards for the Ugandan government,” he said.

“It is inconsistent with international human rights standards which Uganda is a part of. This will strangle artists and everyone who has the right to cultural expression and artistic freedom. We call on the government to immediately abandon this plan."

Meanwhile, Uganda's Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Peace Mutuuzo, said that the regulations were meant to govern the music and entertainment industry.

“We cannot continue condoning...abusive language. This we know has been happening within the creative industry. People compose songs to abuse others,” Mutuuzo told Reuters in a recent interview.

Among the most contentious aspects of the proposed laws are the clauses that require artists and filmmakers to submit song lyrics and film scripts for approval and seek government permission to perform outside Uganda. If found to be in gross breach of the guidelines, the affected acts would have their artistic licences revoked.

Since the draft bill was leaked to the public last month, it has been widely condemned online. Navio, a Ugandan hip hop artist, has criticised the proposed legislation.

Speaking recently during an interview with Record FM, he said: “Artists registering by choice is not bad and even if it is by force I do not mind. For me, the issue comes in when they start controlling the lyrics. You know when a government or a ministry starts to do that, it cripples the industry and limits the creativity of artists.

“If the government was chasing some of the avenues that we are supposed to be getting royalties from such as online platforms, radio and TV stations, as much as they were with vulgarity in music, then there would be a whole new sector with billions of dollars.”