Godfrey Kabyanga Baluku, the Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance, has reaffirmed the government’s resolve on the continued suspension of Facebook in Uganda until it meets the regulations.
Facebook and other social media platforms were closed in January 2021 as the country prepared to hold presidential elections.
Baluku emphasizes that no entity, including global tech giants or the local press, is exempt from state oversight.
Facebook (now Meta) was blocked in Uganda in January 2021 after the platform removed hundreds of accounts linked to the Ministry of ICT and pro-government influencers ahead of the general elections.
Since then, the platform has only been accessible via Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Baluku reveals that negotiations between the government and Meta have been ongoing for nearly four years without a final resolution. Before 2021, Facebook was the primary marketing tool for over 2.5 million Ugandans, according to statistics from digital market data from January 2021.
By URN
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