Human Rights lawyer, Nicholas Opiyo has promised to write to tech giants Facebook and Google, to counter a letter written to the same organizations by the Uganda Communication Commission, UCC over blogs they claim are in breach of the Ugandan laws.
The development follows a letter by UCC to Google and Facebook mentioning some pages that they claim relay information containing extremist and anarchic messages, including messages likely to incite violence against sections of the public on account of their tribe and political opinions.
“May compromise national security and cause economic sabotage. A number of YouTube accounts and assets on Google such as; Ghetto TV, Map Mediya TV, Busesa Media Updates, Uganda Empya, KK TV Uganda, Ekyooto TV, Bobi Wine 2021, Namungo media, and JB Muwonge 2 were used to mobilize riots that resulted into loss of several lives and property in Uganda” part of UCC letter reads.
However, NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu says this is just another way of gagging the media.
“Having gagged Ugandan media with all manner of repressive laws, raids, arrests and intimidation (plus taxing social media), the regime now asks Google to block social media channels that support us or carry message of change! I hope all bloggers and other Ugandans who use social media to promote change are encouraged, knowing that their work has meaningful impact!” He writes.
Adding that; “We have been telling Ugandans about the power of the camera! The regime desperately lies that these channels promote violence and other illegal activities, but in fact the regime is scared by the number of people we have on social media. Of course they would do anything to stop us from broadcasting our events live. NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WILL SAVE MUSEVENI FROM THE FATE OF ALL DESPOTS.”
Now, Nicholas Opiyo says that in the coming days, he will write to Facebook and Google, requesting them to ignore the UCC letter as it is an abuse of due process.
“In the coming days, I will be writing to the tech giants Facebook and Google about this letter from UCC urging them to disregard it for lack of premise, abuse of due process and curtailment of human rights in the context of political campaigns” Opiyo said on Wednesday.
Mid this year, UCC announced that all bloggers and online media practitioners had to register and obtain licenses before being allowed to operate in the country. Also recently, the Media Council of Uganda announced a registration for all local and International journalists who plan on covering the 2021 elections.
All this has been criticized by Human rights activists and opposition candidates who believe it is a way of gagging media and stopping journalists from doing their work
