The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has issued another warning to social media users after it received reports of what it describes as a "racket of unscrupulous individuals" said to be involved in an ongoing examination scandal that has rocked the country.

A statement issued by the UCC reads: "UCC is working closely with Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) and other security agencies to track the authors of such messages and the general public is advised against participating, aiding and abetting any such illegal practices in order to avoid the risk of either becoming victims to such frauds or being arrested and/or prosecuted for aiding and abetting crimes under the Uganda National Examinations Board Act (Cap 173) and the Computer Misuse Act 2011."

This latest warning comes just a few weeks after the UCC expressed concern over what it said was "the increasing use of social and electronic media to perpetrate illegalities like sectarianism, hate speech, inciting public violence and prejudice, pornographic content among others."

The initial warning to social media users read: "Whilst the Commission is happy about the innumerable benefits that the consumers and users of communications services are deriving from the emergence of social and electronic communications platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube amongst others the Commission is increasingly receiving complaints against offensive and illegal content that is sent, shared and/or otherwise broadcast through electronic communication platforms."

The regulator has been criticised for its approach to the governance of social media in recent months, including by global NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its 2017 World Report.

"On election day (in 2016), the Uganda Communications Commission, the telecommunications regulator, directed all telecom companies to block social media networks for 'security reasons'. The ban lasted five days," detailed HRW in reference to one instance when the UCC attempted to regulate social media.

Uganda's New Vision daily newspaper reports that arrests have been made following the leak of Uganda Certificate of Education examination papers and their distribution through social media last week.