Monday 16 March 2009

Asiimwe Paul

Uganda's Phone tapping bill, a ruse for IP infringement?!


Uganda's Minister for Security, Amama Mbabazi recently presented the "Regulation of Interception of Communication Bill, 2007 before parliament. As one can see from the title, the ominously named Bill is intended to legalise the tapping of phones that the Minister has been going on surreptitiously. A copy of the bill that has raised the ire of Lawyers and privacy advocates is available upon request.

The issue for this blogger is whether this law, also known as the 'tapping' bill can be used to 'tap' people's intellectual property. Uganda recently passed the Trade secrets Bill which is pending Presidential approval. As soon as this law is available, it will be posted. One wonders whether intellectual property advocates cannot successfully challenge this bill if it threatens the essence of the Trade secrets Bill.

Asiimwe Paul

Asiimwe Paul

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