Ugandans have complained of not being to access social media on their phones and computers.
“It’s a security matter and I cannot answer on behalf of security,” Godfrey Mutabazi told the Associated Press
The network failure was meant to contain security threats out of the on-going elections
President Museveni addressed the shutdown of social media sites saying it was among the steps taken to ensure security and stop many social media users from getting into trouble and added that it was temporary.
Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN), a leading mobile service provider in Uganda posted on its twitter handle that Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered it to take down social media sites and disable mobile money transfer.
“The Ugandan government’s decision to block access to social media on mobile phones on election day is a blatant violation of Ugandans’ fundamental rights to freedom of expression and to seek and receive information….Without clearly defined security concerns, this closure is nothing but an exercise in censorship as Ugandans elect their leaders,” said Jackson, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes regions, reports AP
Over 15 million Ugandans have registered to vote and long queues formed in different polling stations as they came out to vote
