#UgandaDecides Despite Social Media Blocks for 2016 Elections
Social media has been blocked in Uganda all day today for the presidential elections. The current president,Yoweri Museveni, 71, is running for a fifth term and has said the censorship is to stop people "telling lies."
The highly sensitive situation has been escalating all week, following unconfirmed reports of the arrest of Museveni's opposition, Kizzi Besigye. Earlier today, one of the tightest political races in East Africa got underway and it was never going to be a quiet affair.
At least two polling stations in the capital were shut down today after run ins with the authorities and for many, there has been no access to any social media or chat apps all day.
Mr Museveni has said "Some people misuse those pathways. You know how they misuse them - telling lies. If you want a right then use it properly."
When questioned on it, the head of Uganda's media regulator, Godfrey Mutabazi said the block was supposed to prevent voters being bribed.
Kizza Besigye previously stated that the election will not be free or fair, despite this and the fact that social media has been blocked, #UgandaDecides is still trending on Twitter.
It seems many have been finding ways to bypass the restrictions. This is mainly thanks to leading contender for the presidency, Amama Mbabazi tweeting advice on how to do so:
For those who don't know, 'VPN' stands for Virtual Private Network. It will change your location to make it look like your internet activity is coming from a different computer in an alternative country. This way, people could avoid the government's block and continue to tweet/post/like/share to their heart's content.
The voting has not gone smoothly today. Some polling stations opened late after a 5 hour delay due to difficulties in transporting the "electoral materials." Crowds gathered and tempers rose as voters waited several hours to vote. The police even used teargas to diffuse the situation. Some stations have extended voting for another three hours to make up for this. Voters saying that they received fake ballots also caused delay and for those voting stations to be closed.
It is safe to say that this "security" and censorship has marred the election for thousands of people. For now, the result will be eagerly anticipated.
A candidate will need over half the votes to win outright. Anything less than this and they may face a run-off with the runner up. Badru Kiggundu, the chairman of the Uganda Electoral Commission will announce the winner roughly 48 hours after the voting began.
 |
| http://www.bbc.co.uk/ |
The highly sensitive situation has been escalating all week, following unconfirmed reports of the arrest of Museveni's opposition, Kizzi Besigye. Earlier today, one of the tightest political races in East Africa got underway and it was never going to be a quiet affair.
At least two polling stations in the capital were shut down today after run ins with the authorities and for many, there has been no access to any social media or chat apps all day.
Mr Museveni has said "Some people misuse those pathways. You know how they misuse them - telling lies. If you want a right then use it properly."
When questioned on it, the head of Uganda's media regulator, Godfrey Mutabazi said the block was supposed to prevent voters being bribed.
Kizza Besigye previously stated that the election will not be free or fair, despite this and the fact that social media has been blocked, #UgandaDecides is still trending on Twitter.
It seems many have been finding ways to bypass the restrictions. This is mainly thanks to leading contender for the presidency, Amama Mbabazi tweeting advice on how to do so:
 |
| www.BBC.co.uk |
For those who don't know, 'VPN' stands for Virtual Private Network. It will change your location to make it look like your internet activity is coming from a different computer in an alternative country. This way, people could avoid the government's block and continue to tweet/post/like/share to their heart's content.
The voting has not gone smoothly today. Some polling stations opened late after a 5 hour delay due to difficulties in transporting the "electoral materials." Crowds gathered and tempers rose as voters waited several hours to vote. The police even used teargas to diffuse the situation. Some stations have extended voting for another three hours to make up for this. Voters saying that they received fake ballots also caused delay and for those voting stations to be closed.
It is safe to say that this "security" and censorship has marred the election for thousands of people. For now, the result will be eagerly anticipated.
A candidate will need over half the votes to win outright. Anything less than this and they may face a run-off with the runner up. Badru Kiggundu, the chairman of the Uganda Electoral Commission will announce the winner roughly 48 hours after the voting began.
Megan is a country girl who moved to the city with some big dreams. She is studying her MA in Creative Writing whilst also managing an American Football Team. She loves her blog and wants nothing more than to have her words read. That and to win the Championship, obviously. Follow her @MeganAtSMF
Contact us on Twitter, on Facebook, or leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or management why not take a look at our website for more info: TheSMFGroup.com
#UgandaDecides Despite Social Media Blocks for 2016 Elections
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.