The Uganda Communications Commission has directed all mobile operators to immediately block all access to Facebook, WhatsApp, other social media platforms and online messaging applications, until further notice.

The East African nation go to the polls on Thursday, January 14 in an election pitting incumbent Yoweri Museveni against 10 candidates including opposition front-runner Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (popularly known as Bobi Wine), a singer-turned-lawmaker whose star power has rattled the ruling party, in a way like never before.

The 38-year-old Bobi Wine and his National Unity Platform have rallied the youths in a bid to challenge the 75-year-old Museveni who has been in office since 1986; using the power of the social media in huge campaigns that have left several of his aides, bodyguards and members of his entourage been arrested, jailed and killed.

Big tech giants, Facebook had on Monday, taken down a network in Uganda linked to the country’s Ministry of Information for using fake and duplicate accounts to post ahead of this week’s presidential election., a move that was roundly criticised by the Government.

Uganda ordered internet service providers to block all social media platforms and messaging apps on Tuesday until further notice, a letter from the country’s communications regulator seen by Reuters said.

Users had complained earlier on Tuesday that they were unable to access Facebook and WhatsApp, social media platforms being widely used for campaigning ahead of Thursday’s presidential election in the East African country.

“Uganda Communications Commission hereby directs you to immediately suspend any access and use, direct or otherwise, of all social media platforms and online messaging applications over your network until further notice,” said the letter from the commission’s executive director to internet providers.

The commission’s spokesman Ibrahim Bbossa and government spokesman Ofwono Opondo did not answer calls requesting comment. An aide to Minister of Information Judith Nabakooba said she was unable to comment at the moment.

A source in Uganda’s telecom sector said the government had made clear to executives at telecoms companies that the social media ban was in retaliation for Facebook blocking some pro-government accounts.

The U.S. social media giant said on Monday it had taken down a network in Uganda linked to the country’s Ministry of Information for using fake and duplicate accounts to post ahead of this week’s election.

SOURCE

African leaders hate criticism but won't do the right thing to prevent people from criticizing them always

fergie001:
The Uganda Communications Commission has directed all mobile operators to immediately block all access to Facebook, WhatsApp, other social media platforms and online messaging applications, until further notice.

The East African nation go to the polls on Thursday, January 14 in an election pitting incumbent Yoweri Museveni against 10 candidates including opposition front-runner Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (popularly known as Bobi Wine), a singer-turned-lawmaker whose star power has rattled the ruling party, in a way like never before.

The 38-year-old Bobi Wine and his National Unity Platform have rallied the youths in a bid to challenge the 75-year-old Museveni who has been in office since 1986; using the power of the social media in huge campaigns that have left several of his aides, bodyguards and members of his entourage been arrested, jailed and killed.

Big tech giants, Facebook had on Monday, taken down a network in Uganda linked to the country’s Ministry of Information for using fake and duplicate accounts to post ahead of this week’s presidential election., a move that was roundly criticised by the Government.



SOURCE



lalasticlala mynd44

Hmmm

Arrrrrrrh

Even though this seems unnecessary I strongly support it. The way we Africans handle social media is so appalling. There's a high possibility of charade news, misleading information, instigating mob through the means of social media.

While on the other hand, we can't think one side too !

It disadvantage could be numerous than its advantages, anything can happen, the truth can be seal. Am sensing a lot of rigging, because social media help us Nigeria to see the rate at which Buhari rigged the election then in 2O19.

. A source in Uganda’s telecom sector said the government had made clear to executives at telecoms companies that the social media ban was in retaliation for Facebook blocking some pro-government accounts

Mark Zuckerberg blocked Government accounts, Ugandan Government transferred the aggression on innocent citizens.

Welcome to Africa!

Who ever that shekpe for africa won't rest better oo

34 years rule. is he the only gifted brain?

They can still use VPNs.

But truth be told, Facebook and Twitter have no right to block any pro or anti-government accounts, the worst they should do in the interest of the public is to flag extremist accounts, it'll therefore be left to the public to decide for themselves whether to believe their information or not.

Nigeria government won't dare

Facebook and Twitter need to calm down though, Their attacks on sitting governments are getting out of control

we thought social media would make our world a better place.

but the sad truth is that the social media space is a tyranny of the mob. the faceless forum

A very good move....There shouldn't be any way for anyone to come online and be screaming Uganda no be Lagos

Nh

Wow! In another news,

Akaegwu:
Security from the north securing their slaves down the south. God is watching Amotekun.

Why would you say something as Senseless as this?! What Sensible people would do is to Praise and show Respect to the Great Amatekun Soldiers for the great Feat they achieve against the most dreaded Terrorist Group in Nigeria, but you people have once again twisted the Narrative in effort to ridicule the Gloriously Gallant Amatekun Soldiers just because they are Yorubas! Envy would kill you these people, we the Intelligent ones have verified that you people are so pained because everything that you and your forefathers live, die and dream to achieve are always easily achieved by Yorubas. Just accept Yorubas as being very Superior Beings to you so that you shall live the rest of your Life in peace. Else, very soon all of you that have focus your daily Life on falsely painting Yorubas as cowards shall all die excruciating painful miserable deaths
You Igbos have so much Tanish the image of Yorubas with false Narratives telling other Tribes that Yorubas are cowards, while History and even current event proves to the Contrary. So many Igbos far more than Yorubas went into Worldwide Boxing wishing to be World Champions but were always beaten blue black like small kids and thrown out. You know the Current Worldwide Champions of the Game are Yorubas!!! You know the excruciating Envy that eats up your Soul whenever you see those Yoruba Guys on your screens, sitting in the Thrones that you Igbos folks would forever wish and die you could taste for just a moment. The most Powerful Guys in the Whole World as we speak are Yorubas. The Richest Black Pastors in the World are Yorubas. The Greatest Black Professors in USA and Europe are Yorubas. The Richest Black Woman in the World is Yoruba! The Greatest African in Administration of in-coming USA President is Yoruba, etc, etc. YAHWEH Selected us as His favourite Black People on Earth, even Satan knows Yorubas are very Specially Spiritually Created Superior Beings (Scientifically proven that Adam and Eve were Yorubas), that is why Igbos started Arochuckwu Cult but it became so useless and localized to just one clan, the Greatest Worldwide African Occult(Ogboni Worldwide Fratanity) that now has far more Igbos than Yorubas joining (they so much love money and would die for it) belongs to Yorubas, etc, etc.. Let me stop there for space.
Wow! I salute Yoruba People's Bravery, Courage, Self-Defense Readiness, Unity and Military Sagacity! Yorubas' Power has been falsely underestimated because of derogatory lies peddled by ever Jealous Igbos about Yorubas, all that Igbos ever dreamed to achieve in this World, Yorubas already achieved them long ago.

Last week With just Pump Action guns, who ever knew Yorubas could conquer the ferocious heartless invading Fulanis Terrorists that were always armed to teeth with voodoo and latest sophisticated AK 47s and SMGs, the Fulanis guns were of no effect on the ever Glorious Yorubas, 7 of them mercilessly gunned down by ever Victorious Yorubas mini-War of last Week l, the remaining were disarmed after, tied like Chickens and handed over to the Police. Many Nigerians from Venue and Jos are so happy for Yorubas avenging them of the satanic Fulanis, Nigerians are a little angry that The Yoruba Great Amatekun Soldiers should have quickly killed all the Fulanis, knowing that contiually killing and wiping them out is the only Way to be free from the heartless Fulanis. We know that OLOHRUN Eeledumare has permanently designed it that the Good Yoruba People shall always Prevail over and forever trample upon evil and satanic people like the fulanis, and envious greedy satanic souls called Igbos that introduce enslavement of Nigeria by gun to Fulanis by initiating Nigeria into satanic Tribalism of National Bloodshed into innocent Progressive Nigeria on January 29, 1966. Yorubas Land and People can only keep quite and observes you till they have enough of you stupid prideful wickedness. It can Never Change, Yorubas are forever unconquerable because we are the Delight of the Great CREATOR, the Greatest SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY in Heaven and Earth is always with the Yorubas. Yorubas always slaughter their with far more higher ferociousness than the enemies thought they have, just as Yorubas Mercilessly Slaughtered the Fulanis like Chickens during Oshogbo War of 1840. Since they learned they can Never conqure Yorubas by facing us like Real Men War-for-War, now they always try to deceive and sneak in through the back-door. All enemies wishing Yorubas evil in their hearts, Thunder of Eledumare shall slaughter all! Next time you see a Yoruba, duff your hat, kowtow and bow!

Nice one, so they can rig in peace

Oho!

The new world order is here.

Mask up and shut the fúck up.

No one needs to hear your opinions anymore.

They can't even try this in Nigeria. Area go scatter

Check my signature

Is GEJ not there..?

Yes, this is where the world is heading to.

From Big tech to governments.

People won't take it serious until it hits close to home.

It will be a grave thing for majority of your business to be dependent on Big tech right now. They could shut down your business anytime they don't like you and give flimsy reasons.

As for governments, the masses are just sleeping and giving them more authoritarian power.

Nice.... All countries should implement what works best for them... Moderators/ admins cannot be gagging dissenters on their social media platforms while at the same time, blackmailing the government - with freedom of speech and the press NONSENSE they themselves don't respect - to allow their platforms reign supreme without any regulation in the name of "freedom of bla bla bla".. That's sheer HYPOCRISY!

God bless Africa.

Fahdiga:
African leaders hate criticism but won't do the right thing to prevent people from criticizing them always

My brother, even the social media admins and moderators HATE CRITICISM! You get banned or censored for the SLIGHTEST REASON! Now, that's hypocrisy!

So I am in FULL SUPPORT!

God bless Nigeria.

Slackerpenguin2:


APC man, dont support lack of freedom of speech.

We are a democratic republic, not a Museveni style state.

If pdp was doing the same when they were in power you wont like it. So don't support bad things

My brother, I am not in support. You can see my comments on the Trump ban issue. What I am against is HYPOCRISY. Admins and moderators of these social media platforms ARE FAR WORSE! They DO NOT TOLERATE DISSENTING OPINIONS! You get banned for flimsy reasons. They don't like you, you are gone.

MOST OF THEIR RULES ARE AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION! You can't PROTEST, or CHALLENGE their decisions. They are GODS!

So why are they condemning the government for same offense when they are both in pari delicto?

See eh, most times I support the government just to spite the hypocritical people! We ARE FAR WORSE!

LET CHANGE BEGIN WITH US!

God bless Nigeria.

Uganda is not a free state

That man Yoweri Museveni has been in power since 1986
Eliminating all threat whatsoever
Na hin dey do competition with mugabe
Wicked African leaders!

Africa my Africa... I don't even know what to comment, please kindly check my signature for the best LOGO DESIGN DEAL

In as much as it could really help to mitigate the spread of fake news and reduce post election violence , have they thought about the disadvantage of shutting down the Internet?
I can't go a day without Internet connection.

I won't be surprised if this our government decides to follow suit, Lai Muhammed would be so pleased.

See how Nigerian politicians go like this news, especially Lie machine

Hmm

Bad

Why should they shut down the social media

If truly there is democracy, should there not be freedom of speech, except fake news?

Like someone up there said, African leaders cannot stand criticism. That was why, last year, there was a bill to regulate social media in Nigeria. Just imagine. Dem never regulate the country; dem never regulate insecurity in the North, but dem wan regulate social media. This is so that everybody would be restricted and we would not be able to voice out against the government - just like what they are doing to Sowore, and what they did during #ENDSARS.

if truly some leaders are doing the right thing, no body would bother spreading fake news.

When Fela was alive, he was lashing Nigerian government with his songs.

Imagine what they did to him then - they jailed him severally; they beat the hell out of him, injured, brutalised him; they burnt down his house and studio - everything; they threw his mother down from a two storey building, and she later died. Guess what - His mother's name was Funmilayo Kuti, a nationalist. She was among those who used their blood to fight for freedom in Nigeria, and was respected globally. Imagine what they did to a person like her.


Many leaders are just cowards.

After they ban social media, dem go come restrict the press. The old man that stayed in power for more than 35 years, what else is he still looking for? Kai...

Well, let us watch how this ends...

They want to rig and cover it

APC may emulate this come 2023