Uganda To Maintain Social Media Ban Indefinitely

The National Guidance Minister of Uganda, Peter Ogwang has said the country will maintain its shutdown of Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms until the government deems they are safe from being used to inflame tensions in the East African nation.

Ogwang who made this known on Thursday added that the government is analyzing the situation and sites will be restored on “a case-by-case basis.” 

AllNews had reported that Uganda closed social-media sites and blocked access to the Internet on the eve of presidential elections on Jan 14. Access to the Internet was restored on Jan 18.

This was revealed in a tweet by NetBlocks, an internet freedom monitor, which disclosed that 13% of the East African country is seemingly back online.

The Uganda Communications Commission had last week ordered telecommunications companies to immediately suspend any access and use of social media and online messaging platforms. Facebook and other social platforms were shutdowns before finally the entire country was disconnected.

Netblocks also added that such a blackout could have already cost the Ugandan economy around $9 million.

READ ALSO: Uganda Election: Museveni Emerges Winner

Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, was declared the winner of the vote.

His main challenger pop star Bobi Wine has been placed under house arrest since the election in what police say is an effort to stop him from inciting violence.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, disputes the outcome of the vote, citing fraud, and has said he’ll challenge the result in court.

Meanwhile, a popular human rights lawyer,  Femi Falana has filed a complaint against Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, for illegally detaining his main opponent, Bobi Wine.

Falana who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday said he has submitted a complaint against the government of Uganda to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concerning the detention of the detained couple.”

He said the pop star and his wife had been detained illegally for days without any criminal charges preferred against him.