The Ugandan government is considering creating its own social media platform this year.
However, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) revealed that it is planning to launch their own versions of popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
According to the Uganda Communications Commission Executive Director, Godfrey Mutabazi, the government and telecommunication industry players will be encouraged to use and promote local social media platforms to get more people to use them.
Mutabazi said that, content being hosted outside Uganda is one of the reasons the UCC wants to develop its own version of social media platforms.
“Instead of Ugandans, for example, visiting Twitter, they will have something local that they will be able to use.”
” The moment you access the Internet, you first go to America and come back when you are surfing. But if we had our own content here, it will be cheaper,” he added.
This move by the government has seen social media users and government critics label it as a potential effort to control free expression.
But the UCC says the planned social media platforms aim to keep hate speech out of Ugandan social media, and insists that the new platforms will bring positive changes.
