You can’t force govt to open Facebook, says ICT minister

By Priscilla Maloba

The government has maintained a tight grip on Facebook clampdown, saying nobody will force it to open the social media platform.

In a telephone interview with Daily Monitor on Wednesday, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, told traders under their association Urban Smart Traders Association (USTA) who have threatened to drag government to court for blocking the social media site that the government will open Facebook when they are ready.

“Government has been engaging Facebook on a number of things which have not been agreed on that is why Facebook has not been opened,” he said.

In a press briefing in Kampala on Wednesday, Facebook traders gave the government an ultimatum of 14 days to open the social media site or else they go to court.

Mr Badru Kabogoza Nsamu,the chair- person of USTA, said Facebook was a big platform where they were trading their goods.

“We have lost billions of shillings since Facebook was closed, we have lost customers and also our businesses have come to a standstill. The [social site] should be restored because it is also a business platform and not a political platform,” Mr Kabogoza said.

“Times have changed and businesses have gone online that is why the government has to open Facebook,” he added.

More details in today’s copy of the Daily Monitor

Written by admin