Bishop Julius Oyet who led hundreds of Christians to Parliament on Friday said during a meeting with Speaker Rebecca Kadaga that government should adapt techniques that restrict people from social media sites.
After advising legislators on how to handle the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 that seeks to remove the age limit for Presidential candidates currently capped at 75, Bishop Julius said that many, especially young people who have access social media misuse it and do not respect “our culture.”
“Social media is abusing our leaders, parents, and young people using social media do not respect our culture. It should be restricted,” Bishop Oyet, team leader at Life Line Ministries said.
His remarks came days after Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) imposed an indefinite ban on live video coverage of Parliamentary sessions which the regulator deemed “exceeding the minimum broadcasting standards.”
This ban was however lifted Thursday during a meeting UCC’s director, Godfrey Mutabazi had with the broadcasters association, on a strict condition that all TV stations must have live editing equipment before going live.
In Uganda, social networks like Twitter and Facebook give anyone, anywhere a forum for their thoughts and comments and these networks have created a new way to organise, introducing a new dynamic in political exchange especially among the Opposition leaders.
On recent occasion where UCC tried to limit Ugandans from social media, the clampdown was addressed by activists and human rights groups as a threat to freedom of speech, a denial of the unfettered access to information and comment envisaged by those who developed the World Wide Web.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
