A letter from the country’s communications regulator seen by Reuters said Uganda directed internet service providers to block all social media sites and messaging apps on Tuesday until further notice.
Earlier on Tuesday, users had complained that they were unable to connect Facebook and WhatsApp, social media sites that were widely used to campaign ahead of the presidential election in the East African country on Thursday.
“Uganda Communications Commission hereby directs you to immediately suspend any access and use, direct or otherwise, of all social media platforms and online messaging applications over your network until further notice,” said the letter from the commission’s executive director to internet providers.
Commission spokesperson Ibrahim Bbossa and government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo did not respond to calls for comment. The information minister’s aide, Judith Nabakooba, said she was currently unable to comment.
A source in the Ugandan telecom industry said the government had made it clear to telecom company executives that the social media ban was in retaliation for removing some pro-government accounts from Facebook.
On Monday, the U.S. social media giant said it had taken down a network in Uganda connected to the information ministry of the country for using false and duplicate accounts to post ahead of the election this week.
Source: Reuters