Writer: Peninah Asiimwe. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
Today’s world is increasingly being shaped by digital connectivity. Real time reactions and citizen journalism have become key in how people get information. And with the rise of social media as a public address system and almost judge and jury and the biggest court of public opinion, companies have become very vulnerable to reputational risks.
A single social media post or comment can plunge an institution into a full-blown crisis within minutes, testing the confidence of its clients.
According to Datareportal, “there were 14.2 million Internet users in Uganda at the start of this year. And Uganda was home to 2.40 million social media users in January 2025, making it 4.7 percent of the total population.” As the population of Internet users continues to grow, we are bound to see a lot of firefighting by institutions time and again.
Remember the Café Javas (CJ) rat in a milkshake incident? A social media user posted a video alleging that she had found a rat in a milkshake purchased from the restaurant. The post spread like wildfire across various social platforms, provoking outrage and ridicule, with some manipulating the logo to include a rat. CJ is a respected brand with a strong customer base, and their eventual response, though considered late, helped contain the crisis.
Earlier in 2020, we witnessed the Uganda Airlines cake crisis, when the airline received an anniversary cake that many online critics deemed unfit for the prestigious achievement. The backlash was totally unpredictable, turning what could have been a celebratory milestone into a public relations blunder.
And we cannot forget the 2023 National Social Security Fund leadership crisis, which was sparked off by a leaked letter and evolved into a prolonged reputational crisis. What began perhaps as internal management issues soon became public drama, with social media users dissecting every news headline, leaked info, and statement from the Fund.
Agreeably, these examples are different in nature, but they share something in common - the crucial role communication played in shaping the narrative and public perception. This is why every communications professional today must go beyond basic public relations and invest in sharpening their crisis communication skills. And this goes beyond drafting press releases. It’s about strategic thinking, planning and understanding human psychology in moments of panic, outrage, or confusion.
Effective crisis communication involves preparing for the unexpected. In this digital age, perception spreads faster than facts. Being prepared means building a proactive plan, identifying potential loopholes, and having a ready catalogue of actions when things go wrong. Communication teams must learn how to monitor online reaction in real time, because time is of the essence in a crisis.
Of course, social media, while often the trigger of most of the present-day crises, is also a good tool for managing them. For instance, CJ released a video and statement explaining how a milkshake is made and how unlikely it is that a rat can escape that process. For most crises, a prompt tweet or video, like in this case, if well-crafted and timely, can reassure the public, clarify misinformation, signal accountability and ultimately put out the fire and rebuild the confidence. Thus, crisis communication is not just reactive, it’s deeply connected to trust-building.
Sadly, it is increasingly becoming evident that in many Ugandan institutions, crisis communication is activated only when reputational damage has already occurred. We see statements coming out days after the crisis, often dismissed as untrue and the institution’s attempt at damage control. With today’s volatile social media environment, the question we ask should not be if your institution will face a crisis, but when. And when it does, what will your best asset be? Will it be your budget, your directors, or your institution's image or communications team?
The writer, Peninah Asiimwe, is a communications enthusiast.
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