Facebook’s head of communication for sub-Saharan Africa, Kezia Anim-Addo, says the social media platform has shut down dozens of accounts aligned to Uganda’s ruling party and party of President Yoweri Museveni, National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Uganda will hold its presidential election on Thursday, 14 January with Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country since 1986, seeking re-election while former reggae musician, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known by his stage name Bobi Wine, has emerged his main challenger.
Facebook accused the accounts of seeking to manipulate public debate ahead of Thursday’s general elections.
“This month, we removed a network of accounts and pages in Uganda that engaged in Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour to target public debate ahead of the election,” Anim-Addo said.
An aide to President Yoweri Museveni accused Facebook and Twitter of being opponents of NRM.
“They should “unfreeze” accounts they froze yesterday & today,” Don Wanyama tweeted on Sunday.
He urged the Uganda Communications Commission “to act to ensure a fair digital playfield.”
“Shame on the foreign forces that think they can aid and plant a puppet leadership on Uganda by disabling online accounts of NRM supporters. You won’t take away President Kaguta Museveni,” Mr Wanyama was quoted as saying by news site, Daily Monitor.
Ashburg Kato, a famous blogger for the ruling party, accused opposition politician and presidential candidate Bobi Wine and his aides of being behind the shutdown.
“Facebook itself deleted our accounts on the request of Bobi Wine’s handlers,” Kato tweeted.
Bobi Wine has not commented on the allegations.