Ugandans woke up to go to the polls today and found out that the social media sites have been blocked.
According to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), this was done for ‘national security‘. Godfrey Mutabazi, the executive director of Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), confirmed that it was done at the request of the electoral commission. According to the tweet from NTV Uganda, Museveni says it is temporary and it was done because some people misuse these rights.
Social media blockage is temporary. It was done because some people misuse these rights -Museveni #UgandaDecides
— NTV UGANDA (@ntvuganda) February 18, 2016
However some Ugandans have bypassed the restrictions by using Virtual Private Networks access while others are using alternative browsers and apps.
This would be the most competitive election since the advent of multiparty democracy a decade ago. The decision would be whether to vote in Museveni and his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. Museveni though facing a challenge from seven candidates, is predicted to win a fifth term. The 71-year-old former rebel fighter seized power in 1986.
