Uganda President Museveni Suspends Social Media Platforms, Arrest Opposition Campaign Team Ahead Of Election
The government of President Yoweri Musevini of Uganda has ordered the suspension of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms ahead of Thursday’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
The leading opposition candidate, Bobi Wine, has also alleged arrest of all members of his campaign team.
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The Uganda Communications Commission’s Executive Director, Irene Sewankambo, issued the directive to internet service providers on Tuesday.
“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,” the letter partly read as cited by Reuters.
The President of the East African country, Museveni (77) of the National Resistance Movement, is challenging a 39-year-old musician and lawmaker, Bobi Wine (National Unity Platform) as well as nine other politicians.
Museveni has held on to power for the past 35 years.
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The development is coming almost 24 hours after the social media companies had suspended the accounts of some agencies of the nation’s government, particularly the ICT, which is responsible for all matters of policy, laws, regulations and strategy.
Facebook had claimed that the affected accounts were using other fake accounts to spread fake news and propaganda ahead of the general polls.
But in his reaction via Twitter, the Executive Director, Uganda Media Centre, Ofwono Opondo P’Odel, frowned on the action of the Big Techs, alleging the companies’ judgment was bias.
“We demand that Facebook and Twitter write directly to the individuals that lost their accounts. Since Facebook cited the Ministry of Information and ICT in their statement, let them write to us so that there’s a chance for a fair hearing. Accounts lost on Facebook belong to employees of Uganda Government,” he said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Wine, the leading opposition to Museveni’s desire to keep the presidency, has accused the president of using security forces to arrest his team.
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“Gen. Museveni needs to tell the world what he intends to do in this election that he should arrest my entire campaign team, my assistants & supporters. Last night, the military yet again arrested so many friends and comrades; two days to the election! Others living as fugitives!,” he tweeted on Tuesday.
