Politics and Society
Uganda Elections: Voting starts late in some stations, social media blocked
The head of Uganda’s media regulator, Godfrey Mutabazi, said the social media block was introduced after a request from the electoral commission. Uganda’s leading mobile operator MTN, which has 10 million users, confirmed that it had received an order to shut down social media services. The election was also marred by delays of up to five hours at some polling stations.
Published
9 years agoon
By
Rebecca R
Many voters in the capital Kampala and neighbouring Wakiso District shared their dismay at the late delivery of election materials in today’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
There were also last minute changes to assigned polling stations, with some voters being moved to other stations. Confirmation of polling station through the campaign period has been through texting one’s National ID Number to a specific number, or using the Electoral Commission website- which went down due to high traffic.
For some curious reason @PBMM2011 was registered to vote at our usual polling station across the road. I was moved 10 minutes up the road.
— David F.K. Mpanga (@dfkm1970) February 18, 2016
As many voters lined up in the morning to vote, there were no ballot papers at many stations. According to social media accounts from various polling stations, this appears to be mostly in the Kampala and Wakiso areas, which are also opposition strongholds. In other parts of Uganda, voting appears to have started as expected.
https://twitter.com/amgodiva/status/700238252469547008
@UgandaEC Time check 11:40am Jack n Jill N/P School polling station in Nsambya hasnt seen any ballot papers #UgandaDecides #UgandaElections
— Lawie 😎 (@daniel_RNSD) February 18, 2016
There was no communication to people waiting at these stations, and as conspiracy theories and tension spread, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission Badru Kiggundu simply said that there had been delays in delivery of polling materials.
Kiggundu: there has been a delay in delivery of polling materials in some parts of Wakiso District and Kampala. @UgandaEc regrets the delay.
— Electoral Commission- Uganda (@UgandaEC) February 18, 2016
Some voters gave up, but many did not as they all waited in the scorching sun for the ballot boxes to arrive.
Meanwhile, it appeared that the Uganda Communications Commission had asked telecommunications companies to shut down social media services for 24 hours.
Crowdsourcing tweet: Does anyone have a copy of the letter @UCC_Official sent to Telcos yesterday? #UgandaDecides
— Daniel Kalinaki (@Kalinaki) February 18, 2016
Some Ugandans on social media shared different ways of navigating around the social media ban.
#UgandaDecides my last twit was about gun Shots in Rukungiri before my account was shut down.However I ve beaten dem pic.twitter.com/GsNFPV4b9r
— Sudhir Byaruhanga (@Sudhirntv) February 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/Kasabiiti/status/700181985537433600
The recently passed electoral laws, Presidential Elections Amendment Act 2015 and Parliamentary Elections Amendment Act 2015, dictate that all polling stations be closed at 4p.m today. With some polling stations only starting the process late, some at 12noon, there are questions on whether the deadline will be extended at affected stations.
Social media blockage is temporary. It was done because some people misuse these rights -Museveni #UgandaDecides
— NTV UGANDA (@ntvuganda) February 18, 2016
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