TOURISTS ‘DISAPPOINTED’ IF NOT OUTRIGHT MAD AS THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS IS CUT
(Posted 18th February 2016)
Uganda’s tourism industry has in recent weeks worked hard to ensure that the flow of tourists into the country continues uninterrupted, attempting to buck the trend that African countries, apart from few exceptions like Rwanda for instance, have seen in recent years – namely that visitors tend to stay away from a destination before, during and after elections.
A very recent statement by the Uganda Tourism Board in fact assured visitors of their safety and security, aimed to give reassurance to those who in a last minute decision might still come to the Pearl of Africa after all.
It is little wonder therefore when feedback received this morning from tourism stakeholders was less than complimentary, when it emerged that their tourists were faced with no access to social media and the subsequent loss of promotional picture postings and positive comments from Uganda’s national parks, from Lake Victoria or from the River Nile, leave alone the lofty heights of the fabled Rwenzori Mountains, aka Mountains of the Moon.
The following report was subsequently sourced from www.chimpreports.com which published the following information earlier in the morning, later on then also confirmed by mainstream media which continue to broadcast from across Uganda.
EXCLUSIVE: Mobile Facebook, Twitter Switched Off Over ‘Security Concerns’
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Facebook (picture) and Twitter remains slow in Uganda
By: Giles Muhame
Feb 18,2016
Majority of Ugandans cannot access Facebook and Twitter on their mobile gadgets after being disconnected by telecommunication companies on orders of high ranking security officials, Chimp Corps report.
Sources told this website that the order was effected Wednesday night as the country braced for a highly competitive election exercise.
“This is a security measure to protect the country after it became clear that some individuals were using social media to incite violence,” said a well placed security official on Thursday morning.
The election exercise is underway with voters selecting their preferred candidates for the positions of President, MP and Woman MP.
The source who sought anonymity so as to speak freely said blocking social media platforms on mobile gadgets was a “pre-emptive move to avoid possible bloodshed.”
Asked why Mobile Money networks were off, the source also pointed out that “politicians were using it to bribe voters on the eve of the election.”
Pressed to explain when the networks would be restored, this official responded: “We will first assess the situation. If stability is maintained, then the social media platforms and mobile money network will be back on by Saturday.”
Several Ugandans are using VPN software on their mobile gadgets to get around the social media restrictions.
The slowing down of networks has angered many with activists saying the move borders on censuring freedom of expression.
Uganda in fact has a good record on the conduct of the electorate in the past, when equally though perhaps not so tightly contested elections took place. Not one tourist who defied the general trend to stay away from the country because of elections has ever come to harm nor are any incidents involving tourists anticipated this time although tour operators have taken measures and precautions to give known political hotspots a wide berth when traversing the capital Kampala or major municipalities upcountry.
‘I think it is very regrettable that we must rob our tourists of their opportunity to post pictures of Uganda’s natural wonders. These visitors could be our witnesses of the peaceful conduct of our elections but turning off the social media last night immediately raised questions from them. We struggled so hard to get these people here at a time like this, so while the move by security organs is perhaps understandable it is also very regrettable. They have done tourism no favour really, no matter their motives. It also confirms to our critics abroad and to those who generally always have issues with tourists visiting Africa, that things are not the way they should be. Apart from Egypt during the regime change, I have not heard that social media are cut and where does that leave us as a sector? How do we explain such things away when we head to Berlin for ITB in a few weeks and travel agents confront us with the complaints by their clients who experienced this inconvenience? Tourists think it is their right to have access to social media and because of circumstances we just denied them‘ moaned a regular Ugandan commentator and contributor.
Fodder for thought, more so as apparently the mobile money platforms too were shut down, leaving those in need to make payments struggling for alternatives and impacting on the sale of goods and services to locals who had embraced the mobile money method for most of their daily shoppings, fuel purchases or when dining out.
Meanwhile is feedback from across the country suggesting that the elections taking place have been free of any incidents though many polling stations, even in Kampala, have opened late due to a lack of timely deliveries of ballot papers, ballot boxes and other voting materials and machines.
For those keen to visit Uganda in the near future, additional information can be sourced via www.visituganda.com and www.ugandawildlife.org
