The Ugandan government, faced with the fact that no one wants to buy expensive new computers, has hit on a wizard wheeze of making the sale of used computers illegal.

In three months you will not be able to buy a used computer in the shops, despite the fact that this market has been responsible for increased computer literacy in the country. With prices of about a fifth of what a new computer costs, the used market has been the only way that many cash-strapped Ugandans can afford a PC.

Many Net Cafe's in the country are also built using used computers. Many are saying that they will not be able to afford to continue if they cannot buy used computers. The move will have the positive effect of stopping the dumping of electronic waste in Uganda. Many developed countries have been shipping electronic waste claiming that it is 'charity' and citing the booming used computer market as a justification.

But the used computers often do not work for a long time and when their time is up, Uganda has to dump the stuff.