We’ll reopen Facebook when they stop playing games – Museveni

President Museveni addressing editors from different media houses in the country at state lodge Nakasero, Kampala on December 23, 2022. PHOTOS/ PPU 

What you need to know:

  • A number of Ugandans now access Facebook, one of the most used social media platform in Uganda, through Virtual Private Networks while others have had to quit for other available alternative. 

President Museveni said on Friday that Facebook will be fully reopened in Uganda if “they stop playing games.”  
Facebook remains blocked from Uganda two years after its operations were suspended ahead of the 2021 general election.
"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," President Museveni said during his engagement with news editors from different media houses in the country.

The president’s remarks comes days after Uganda communications Commission (UCC) acting executive director, Ms Irene Kagwa said government is waiting on Facebook, which is now operated by Meta, to resolve outstanding issues before it is fully reopened. 

“On our side, we are waiting for Facebook. We talked [and] we concluded. So, the outstanding issues are on their side. As government, we are ready to have it come back as soon as they deliver on their promise,” she said.


A number of Ugandans now access Facebook, one of the most used social media platform in Uganda, through Virtual Private Networks while others have had to quit for other available alternative. 
Before, the January 2021 suspension, government had had run ins with Facebook, accusing the social media giant of doing so little to control hate speech, lies and dividing Ugandans on partisan lines. 

Government subsequently blocked Facebook after it deleted hundreds of accounts of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters it suspected to be fake during the General Election last year.
There have been several attempts to negotiate the unblocking, but without tangible results with Facebook refusing to comply with governments demands to restore deleted accounts.
Uganda Communications Commission says government is waiting for Facebook to implement agreed upon outstanding issues before it can fully be unblocked.