The whole of yesterday, the most used social media platform I the world, Facebook, was unaccessible to most Ugandans and this caused chaos as many started complaining about their failure to access the app, as they attributed it to slow internet, others accused the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) for having shutdown the app!
UCC chairperson Issa Bbosa came out shortly and clarified the accusations, siting that they have no intention of shutting down the internet. He went on to say that the slow internet is a result of too much traffic as many people are using the internet and also, "many have picked interest in our election" which is just hours away.
The smart Ugandans however deciphered the trick, realizing that actually thosez with VPN could access the app and others. And to those who had no VPNs, had to face it rough and others pleaded, while the rest paid money to their fellows so as to get the VPNs.
Later in the night, during the state of the nation address, the incumbent president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expressed his concern on the internet issue and also said the "government had actually shutdown the internet!"
The other day Facebook decided to block the NRM message senders. Why would anybody do that? When I heard about that I told our people to warn them. That social channel if it's going to operate in Uganda it should be used equitably by everybody." Said president Museveni.
He further more apologized to those affected by the shutdown but also expressed the need for fairness in the service delivery. "I heard that they have shutdown the Facebook and those other groups, I'm sorry for those affected."
It should be noted that a few days ago, NRM bloggers woke up to the horror of finding their accounts suspended, mostly on Facebook. The likes of Ashburg Kato, Jennifer Nakangubi alias full figure, Bajjo were some of those that faced the wrath of Zuckerberg. Ashburg immediately came out and ordered Facebook to return their accounts of the app risks being shutdown. Are we right to say that Ashburg Kato is bigger than FACEBOOK?
