Access to information Archives – Page 13 of 14 – Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)

17Jun

Announcement: Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2016

admin June 17, 2016

The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa is scheduled to take place on September 27–29, 2016 in Kampala, Uganda.
The Forum provides a unique opportunity to deliberate and build a network of supporters of internet freedom in Africa. It brings together a wide range of civic actors such as journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists, private sector actors such as telecom companies, as well as communication regulators and law enforcement.
In 2015 the Forum assembled panelists from a diversity of backgrounds, which facilitated spirited discussions as captured in this report.

See the 2015 Forum Highlights video

A key highlight at the Forum is the launch of the State of Internet Freedom in Africa report that captures trends on internet freedom in select African countries. The 2016 report will cover the most number of countries so far.
These deliberations come as various African countries witness a slide in online freedom of expression and association, as well as breaches of the rights to privacy and access to information.
Visit the Forum page for more information.

05May

Ugandan Artists, Journalists Decry Declining Freedom of Expression

admin May 5, 2016

By Ashnah Kalemera |
As the world celebrated World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the media and artists in Uganda spoke in unison about declining levels of freedom of expression in the country. Media practitioners challenged the constitutionality of Uganda’s 20-year press law and the impartiality of the national media ombudsman. Meanwhile, artists cited a growing trend of self-censorship among their community due to a fear of backlash from the state.
Musician Robert Kyagulanyi a.ka. Bobi Wine, an outspoken proponent for free expression, explained that communicating social issues through music was both “exciting and annoying” to audiences. Kyagulanyi said over the years he had experienced backlashes for making songs critical of state authorities. In 2012, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) allegedly banned radio airplay of Kyagulanyi’s song which criticised the Kampala City Council Authority Executive Director. Earlier this year, there were reports that UCC had once again banned another of Kyagulanyi’s songs – this time with content related to elections. It could not be verified whether the commission indeed banned radio stations from playing the song titled Ddembe. The singer stated that state-owned media had on numerous occasions declined to play some of his music that criticised the government.
“Much as censorship does not come direct, we must acknowledge that it exists for artists,” said Kyagulanyi at an event in Kampala to mark WPFD.
Kyagulanyi’s sentiments were echoed by another prominent Ugandan musician, Irene Ntale, who said she and many others often found themselves “limited” to making commercial music that is “easily saleable and sustains livelihoods” and refraining from critical songs.
“If I want to sing about the political situation in Uganda, I am afraid. Am I going to get into trouble?” said Ntale. She added that other forms of her expression, such as the attire she wears while performing, were also under threat from the Anti-Pornography Act (2014). The Act outlaws the publication and consumption of real or simulated sexual activities, or representation of sexual parts of a person.
Uganda, like many other African countries, lacks a comprehensive legal framework to promote creative, artistic and cultural expression. The country has a national Culture Policy (2006) and ratified to the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression in 2015. However, protections are not guaranteed and there have been reports of abuse and infringements on artists’ rights when their work challenged political, religious and social norms. In 2012, screening of a Ugandan play titled “State of the Nation” was cancelled by the Media Council because of its subject matter of corruption and poor governance, while in 2013, Daniel Cecil, a British theatre producer, was deported from Uganda following work on a play that had a gay character.
Both Kyagulanyi and Ntale called for the media to offer more support to the creative sector when artists’ freedom of expression is under attack. However, the media itself is experiencing rising attacks, and the Press and Journalist Act (1995), which regulates the media, is “antithetic to media freedom and democracy”, according to Makerere University journalism lecturer Adolf Mbaine . He said the Media Council established under this law had led to “direct government control over what journalists can and can’t do”. This had contributed to an engrained fear among journalists and other actors on how to exercise their freedom of expression.
Mbaine also contended that freedom of the media was not a “professional right” and should therefore not be regulated. “Media belongs to everyone including the public through media,” he said.
Meanwhile, Peter Magellah of Chapter Four pointed out that there were no provisions in Uganda’s Press and Journalists Act relating to online publications and new media platforms. Under the Uganda Communications Act (2013), the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has the mandate to regulate telecommunications services including broadcast and online media. In February 2016, the UCC issued a statement calling for “professional and responsible behaviour among broadcasters and users of social media” during elections that were held the same month.
The chairman of the Uganda Law Society, Francis Gimara, called for more “legal challenges” to the 1995 law as well as other matters related to the rule of law with an impact on freedom of expression in Uganda. Other recommendations made included:

Industry-led regulation of journalists with active stakeholder participation. This would, among others, advance increased accountability of the media on issues of ethical conduct.
Media should become activists of press freedom and freedom of expression.
Media should cover more societal issues that artists portray instead of tending to focus on the lifestyles of the artists.
Increased documentation and reporting on violations of creative and artistic expression akin to documentation of violation of freedom of expression for journalists and activists.

The WPFD celebration was organised by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) jointly with other partners. The dialogue explored the right to freedom of expression and the right to information through online and offline media as fundamental pillars of democracy.
Follow the online conversation on WPFD with the hashtags: #WPFD16 and #ThisIsFreedom

01Mar

Analysis of Twitter Activity During the 2016 Presidential Debates in Uganda

admin March 1, 2016

By CIPESA Writer |
The 2015/2016 electioneering season in Uganda set a precedent in the use of social media as a means for politicians to reach out and engage with citizens. It was the first time in Uganda that a candidate announced they would run for President via YouTube and also saw candidate Yoweri Museveni (the incumbent) seek out a more tech-savvy media team to keep abreast with the widening channels of civic engagement.
While some of the candidates maintained personal Twitter accounts and actively engaged in the online conversations, others remained dormant, although they had Twitter accounts.
In partnership with Outbox we present the first of a three-part series into the key themes shaping the online conversation of Ugandans during the electioneering process.
The report explores the level of Twitter activity, interaction and conversational trends with specific focus on the #UgDebate16 hashtag during the 1st presidential debate held on January 15, 2016 and 2nd debate, which was held on February 13, 2016. During both debates, the hashtag trended locally and gained popularity as far as South Africa.
See the full report here: Analysis of Twitter Activity During the 2016 Presidential Debates in Uganda – Monitoring Uganda Elections Series 01 #UgDebate16

03Oct

Forum Sparks Debate on Internet Freedom in Africa

admin October 3, 2015

By Juliet Nanfuka |
The recently concluded two-day Forum on Internet Freedom in East Africa 2015 sparked debate on the many facets of internet freedom, including access to information, digital safety, media freedom, online violence against women, regulation of the internet, freedom of expression online, and the online economy.
The first day of the Forum coincided with the internationally celebrated Right to Know Day (September 28) and also served as a platform to recognise the tenth anniversary of the Access to Information Act in the host country, Uganda.
The Forum, organised by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) under the OpenNet Africa initiative, brought together just under 200 participants, a dramatic increment from the 85 who participated at last year’s inaugural Forum. Participants represented a wide spectrum of stakeholders including communications regulators, civil society, intermediaries, private sector, tech enthusiasts, artists, media and ordinary citizens. It was supported by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), Hivos, Ford Foundation, Open Technology Fund, UNESCO and Web We Want.
According to the ITU, there are currently 3.2 billion people using the internet of which, by end 2015, two billion will come from developing countries. There is therefore a need to create awareness and to advocate for internet rights in developing countries that are registering a dramatic uptake of the internet.
The African Declaration on Human Rights has set the foundation upon which human rights standards and principles of openness in internet policy formulation can be developed in Africa. While various policies and laws have been developed in the continent’s 54 countries, many contradict the rights to privacy, access to information, data security, and freedom of expression.
In his opening remarks at the Forum, Jaco du Toit, Communication and Information Adviser at the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, pointed to growing concerns over the mechanisms used by governments in the region to monitor citizen’s activities both online and offline. These concerns threaten legitimate online interactions including by the media that plays the role of society’s watchdog, and by critical citizens with large online footprints and human rights organisations that rely on information to encourage civic participation and good governance.
The use of ICT tools by citizens to exercise their right to free expression and as an engine for development is widely recognised especially as the push for open data gains momentum across the African continent. However, recognition of internet rights in the same breath as the rights guaranteed offline by national constitution remains a grey area.
Internet Freedom in East Africa
The forum served as the launch of the State of Internet Freedom in East Africa 2015 report on access, privacy and security online in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The report is the result of qualitative and quantitative research conducted in the focus countries between May 2014 and August 2015.
The report highlights legal developments related to internet freedom in each of the focus countries such as the May 2015 ruling by the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) against the Burundi Press Law of 2013, on the grounds that some sections went against the principles of press freedom. This marked a victory for the Burundi Journalists Union who had petitioned the court over the repressive law. In Kenya, the Security Laws (Amendment) Act was signed into law despite concerns over its expansion of the surveillance capabilities of the Kenyan intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
In Tanzania, the controversial Cybercrimes Act and the Statistics Act were both passed in 2015 notwithstanding protests due to the restrictions they place on advancing transparency and access to information.
Progressive public access developments are also reported such as the Smart Kigali initiative which provides wireless internet service on select public transport buses. The Ministry of ICT in Rwanda also launched the “Stay Safe Online” campaign aimed at promoting awareness on cyber security.
The report also presents some of the violations of internet freedom that were registered in East Africa over the last year.
Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions on Internet Freedom
The report found that understanding of what constitutes internet freedom among the region’s citizens is varied. The majority associated internet freedom with the ability to utilise the internet free of unwarranted state regulations or commercial restrictions.
Online safety practice was low with only 48% of the respondents using digital safety and security tools to safeguard themselves online. A lack of awareness of security risks on digital platforms and shortage of skills to secure communications were among the reasons for not actively utilising online safety tools.
The report further found widespread perception among East Africans of government surveillance even where there was limited evidence remain prevalent of actual surveillance. Respondents cited national security, countering terrorism, and combating hate speech as key reasons for government surveillance.
Discussion Echoes Report Findings
Discussions in the 13 sessions at the forum repeatedly pointed out contradictory or non-existent laws to protect users especially in instances where critical content in writing, or creative and performing arts have led to arrests. This in turn has contributed to self-censorship by independent content producers and media.
Further, victims of online violence against women (VAW) do not have any legal structures to ensure their rights are upheld; instead, many are castigated more than the perpetrators of the violence. Limited legal provisions on the vice have thus led to a culture of silence and misinformation which in turn impacts upon reporting of cases to indicate the extent and actual statistics of VAW in African countries.
Discussions at the forum echoed insights gathered in the report, including the friction between control of content which impacts upon freedom of expression and regulation of the internet so as to combat hate speech and terrorism, and to maintain national security and public order.
“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” said Irene Kaggwa, Head of Research and Development at the Uganda Communication Commission on the need for responsible use of the internet. Jimmy Haguma, Acting Commissioner with Uganda Police’s Cybercrimes unit, , added that “freedom without control” would contradict certain needs, such as ensuring child online safety and protection from theft and fraud.
The challenges involved with ensuring that the internet is a safe space for genuine interaction were summarised by Facebook’s head of Public Policy for Africa, Ebele Okobi, who noted that “If Facebook were a country, it would be the biggest country in the world.” She added that the global platform faces a challenge of how to apply the laws of every country in which it has users in its policy on online content.
Underpinning all discussions at the forum was the use of social media and the need for users to build their digital security capacities as the online arena increasingly becomes the key avenue for social interaction. However, legislation in many countries has not moved fast enough to ensure the protection of users who fall victim to online abuse and violence.
In his closing remarks, Vincent Bagiire, Chair of the ICT Committee, Parliament of Uganda, emphasised the necessity for further engagement on internet freedom not only by civil society but with a more inclusive multi-stakeholder approach which works towards ensuring a free and open internet. He stated that this responsibility exists first at the national level, “but given the borderless, global nature of the internet”, it is also very much a global issue. “Internet freedom is both a domestic and a foreign policy subject,” he said.
The Forum had representation from 19 countries including Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, Zimbabwe
For more details, visit the Forum on Internet Freedom in East Africa 2015 page, See the full programme and the speaker biographies.

24Sep

Access to Information in Uganda to be Recognised at Internet Freedom Forum

admin September 24, 2015

As part of its OpenNet Africa initiative which is aimed at promoting internet rights in Africa, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is next week set to host the second Forum on Internet Freedom in East Africa. The two-day event is scheduled for 28 and 29 September 2015, in Kampala, Uganda and will coincide with the International Right to Know Day.

Uganda was the first of two countries in East Africa to adopt an Access to Information Act (ATIA) in 2005 (the other is Rwanda in 2013) which promotes the right of access to information and supports public participation in decision-making processes. As part of the forum the Ministry of Information and National Guidance in the Office of the Prime Minister (Uganda) in partnership with CIPESA and the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) will celebrate the 10^th anniversary of ATIA, host discussions to evaluate the implementation of the law, how to overcome challenges on implementation and proposals for amendments. The second State of Right to Information (RTI) in Africa report will also be presented.

In Africa, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the private sector, academia and ordinary citizens are increasingly utilizing online tools for social and economic engagement, online debate, advocacy and business development. The Forum will serve as a platform to discuss how the current state of internet freedoms in Africa affects these engagements. Further, it will also explore the threats online engagements face, how emerging global issues impact upon local users, as well as the opportunities for action to promote access, privacy and security online.

The 2015 edition of the State of Internet Freedom in East Africa Report will be launched at the Forum.

Ashnah Kalemera, Programmes Associate at CIPESA, says that, “This report is the culmination of exploratory research conducted in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda into the threats to access, privacy and security online, as well as the knowledge, attitudes and practices of citizens on internet freedoms in these countries. The insights gathered can help guide policy makers, civil society, telecommunication regulatory authorities in understanding the internet freedom landscape in the region including the challenges, opportunities and developments.”

According to the International Telecommunication Union, by the end of 2015, there will be 3.2 billion users of the internet, of which 2 billion will come from developing countries. This translates to 34% of households in developing countries accessing the Internet, compared with more than 80% in developed countries. In the report focus countries, internet penetration in Burundi stands at 4.9% (2013 statistics), while according to 2014 statistics, Kenya had a penetration of 52%, while Rwanda was 20%, Tanzania at 4.8% and in Uganda at 20%.

The Forum brings together human rights defenders, journalists, government officials, academia, bloggers, developers, the arts community, law enforcement agencies and communication regulators, all of whom have a role to play in advancing the rights of citizens to privacy and freedom of expression in the online sphere.

Participants confirmed to attend hail from Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Speakers at the panel will come from organizations including Article 19, Bayimba (Uganda), Bloggers Association Kenya, Chapter 4, ICT Association Uganda (ICTAU), Globaleaks, Global Voices (Uganda), Great Lakes Voices (Rwanda), Hub for Investigative Media (HIM), iHub Research (Kenya), Internet Society [(Africa, Burundi and Uganda Chapters], Jamii Forums (Tanzania), UNESCO, Facebook, Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), Makerere University (Uganda), Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, Protège QV, Uganda Media Centre, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Uganda Police Cybercrime Unit, University of Nairobi, Web We Want, Writivism (Uganda) and the Women Of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) among others.

Topics to be discussed include electioneering and extremism in the digital age, press freedom, access to information online, the economics of the internet, digital safety, online violence against women and cybercrime. See the Programme.

We are thankful for the support received from the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), Ford Foundation, Hivos, Open Technology Fund, UNESCO and Web We Want.

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