Apparently it is strictly illegal to import used computers into Uganda, per Uganda Revenue Authority re. passenger arrivals at Entebbe International Airport:
Prohibited goods are goods whose importation is strictly not allowed by any law in force. For example, used electronics such as used computers/Laptops, used fridges, used TV sets, used underwear among others. If you are found/convicted of importing prohibited items, the penalty ranges up to 5 years in prison or a penalty of 50% of the value of subject goods and the costs of destruction.
This is immediately concerning to anyone travelling with their own computer(s), which are by definition used, and thus illegal prima facie. The URA put out a video interview (English after the first few minutes) which claims that this ban doesn't apply, for visitors and returning residents alike, to equipment you have been using outside Uganda and which you are importing for your own use. But I haven't seen this in writing.
(It did occur to me that 99.999% of arrivals to EBB are successfully smuggling used underwear. But the gentleman in the video mentioned laptops as being very common contraband, so I think the action thresholds here are different.)
It's all well and good that this interview informally alludes to an exemption for personal equipment, but when we're talking about the potential destruction of one's possessions, the loss of essential work tools, and/or criminal charges, one needs a bit more certainty here. This is much more onerous than the usual, "if our agent thinks you're trying to sell it, then we're gonna tax you."
In fact, the supposed exemption is almost a self-contradiction. URA categorizes goods into "Allowable", "Restricted" and "Prohibited"; used computers are "Prohibited", which means strictly disallowed, not allowed under some conditions (which would instead be "Restricted"). This is highly confusing and scary.
Is there anything official, in writing, that makes it clear that importing your own computers for your own use is not a crime?
And if so, is there anything official, in writing, and public, that clearly sets out how personal use is differentiated from illegal commercial importation? Or is this purely at the discretion of URA staff?
Given the seriousness, there are some compounding specifics to consider:
If you're a Westerner carrying a dated computer, are they going to conclude (by profiling) that you're trying to hawk it?
What if you have two or three different types of computer, for different purposes? For instance: (1) a small, cheapie notebook for carrying around, (2) a better one to keep at home for development work, and (3) a desktop in pieces for later re-assembly, more suitable for larger storage, video editing, etc. Having overlapping/redundant equipment can, in my actual travel experience, improve flexibility and resiliency. Is this going to attract jail time?
If in addition to the computers, you have various other electronic gadgets, is your situation now even more dire?
The interview video in several places mentions the importance of proof of ownership. What if someone gave you the machine or you otherwise don't have the receipt? Would intimate familiarity with the machine (passwords, installed software, quirks) help?
How do digital nomads and others who depend on electronic gear get into Uganda without running afoul of their laws?
