Witchcraft act

The Witchcraft Act in Uganda was introduced in its current form in 1957 during British colonial rule and remains in force to this day. Its original aim was to suppress practices that the colonial administration classified as "superstitious" or dangerous. In doing so, it made little distinction between harmful magic and traditional healing methods.

In the colonial context, the law served to establish the Western, scientific health care system while simultaneously undermining trust in local healers and their knowledge. Indigenous medical practices were criminalized or forced into secrecy.

To this day, the Witchcraft Act continues to influence how traditional medicine is perceived and practiced in Uganda. Although many people still consult traditional healers, legal uncertainty and social stigmatization act as obstacles. This hampers the open transmission of knowledge and cooperation with official health institutions.

Critics therefore call for a revision or abolition of the law to make room for a legally recognized, culturally embedded, and safe practice of traditional medicine.

Witchcraft Act: https://www.studocu.com/row/document/makerere-university/bachelor-of-laws/witchcraft-act/94467349

References

Kabumba B. (2023) Criminalizing Indigenous Belief: The Constitutional Deficits of Uganda’s Witchcraft Act. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion 12, 139-156.

Mulumba M., Ruano A.L., Perehudoff K., Ooms G. (2021) Decolonizing Health Governance: A Uganda Case Study on the Influence of Political History on Community Participation. Health and Human Rights Journal 23, 259-271.