The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni Kaguta has said Facebook will be fully reopened in the east African country if “they stop playing games,” according to Monitor.
Facebook remains blocked from Uganda two years after its operations were suspended ahead of the 2021 general election. Speaking on Friday during his engagement with news editors from different media houses in the country, Museveni said:
Facebook are arrogant. They were being used to attack us. When our own people tried to answer back they shut us. It has been two years since Facebook was chased out of Uganda. When I checked, boda bodas and taxis were still moving [in absence of Facebook]; even matooke and milk were still coming. I hope Facebook now knows who is in charge of Uganda! When they stop playing games we shall open them.
His remarks come days after Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) acting executive director, Ms Irene Kagwa said the government is waiting on Facebook, which is now operated by Meta, to resolve outstanding issues before it is fully reopened.
Meanwhile, a number of Ugandans now access Facebook, one of the most used social media platforms in Uganda, through Virtual Private Networks while others have had to quit for other available alternatives.