If you have a friend or relative in Uganda, chances of communicating are indecisive as the country authorities have switched Facebook, Twitter and internet in some areas as the country conducts critical elections that will decide the fate of a 30 year ruler and a four time contender.
Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), authorities charged with overseeing the communication sector switched the internet, Facebook and Twitter for fear that the population and more the opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) would use them to get results from polling stations up-country.
There is also the fear that they would incite the public into protests in case finally results are delayed to be announced.
FDC’s Kizza Besigye, the main challenger to the incumbent Yoweri Museveni two days ago, dispatched communication gadgets to his agents to rely results direct from the polling station to the party tallying centre. The Electoral Commission also banned the use of mobile phones while at polling stations.
This comes after communication giant MTN and Airtel announced that they would be closed today and services like mobile money are not operational or are having difficulty in their services.
How a ban on Facebook, Twitter affects elections
The ban on Facebook, Internet and Twitter leaves only Electoral Commission to announce election results and this could affect both sides, opposition and ruling party as their agents will not be allowed to communicate results in time to their party tallying centres.
