However, since Museveni signed the bill into law, some members of the public have taken it upon themselves to attack women suspected to be dressing indecently.
Mbale police are holding seven men accused of undressing two women they accused of breaching the Anti-Pornography Act. The suspects accused their victims of dressing in miniskirts which they claimed were outlawed. Diana Nandawula, the Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson identifies the suspects as Dick Masolo, Simon Bwaya , Raphael Achaya ,Stephen Wafenya, Abdu Walagira and,Martine Wohokola.
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Recently, President Yoweri Museveni assented to the anti pornography bill, which seeks to stop the production and distribution of pornography. Section 13 of the Act prohibits pornography in all its forms. A person shall not produce, traffic, publish, broadcast, procure, import, export or abet any form of pornography. Any person who commits the offence is liable on conviction to a fine of 10 million shillings or imprisonment not exceeding ten years or both.
However, since Museveni signed the bill into law, some members of the public have taken it upon themselves to attack women suspected of dressing indecently. Several cases have been registered in Kampala especially from down town where several women have been undressed. But police say the law cannot yet be implemented and it is therefore not yet operational.
Judith Nabakoba, the Police Public Relations Officer in a press statement this afternoon explained that there are procedures and guidelines that have to be fulfilled before it can be operationalized. She says there are bodies and committees that have to be put in place before the law becomes effective and this has not been put in place.
The law creates a national anti-pornography committee responsible for its implementation by ensuring early detection, collection and destroying of pornographic materials. Nabakoba says the committee, whose representatives will be drawn from various sectors including the media and entertainment industries, will also offer rehabilitation services to victims of pornography.
She says as far as the police are concerned, the law is not yet in operation and all personnel have been briefed on the development. She accordingly appealed to the members of the public to be patient and wait for the implementation of the law to go through the normal process.
Nabakoba says even if the law becomes fully operational, it will not give the public authority to undress indecently dressed people adding that if they do so, they will be acting in breach of the law. She advises the public to report to police those they suspect to have dressed indecently. The police urge the public to restrain themselves from engaging in illegal acts of undressing women, which amounts to indecent assault under the Penal Code Act, section 128.
Denis Olaka
Guest
