The Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) wrote a letter to Google INC on the 9th December 2020, as they stated that several accounts was breaching Ugandan Law through the Youtube Platform. These accounts, channels and media houses that is targeted just happening to be People Power and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine friendly ones. They are not going after anyone who has made accounts praising the President or the NRM. No, they are just targeting a selective 14 channels on Youtube and Facebook. It is very intentional.
That the UCC does this isn’t shocking nor surprising. This is the same UCC who has blocked opposition from appearing on radio broadcasts and blocked people from wearing red berets on TV shows. This government entity is working as the good servant for the Presidency and his vision. The UCC is a slave to the President and all of his actions. If they weren’t that. It wouldn’t have acted like this. Muffling the free speech and using the law to suppress alternative media. If the UCC cared about that. They would have targeted these actions differently, alas they do it now in midst of campaigning. As they know no other follows the opposition and particularly Bobi Wine like these media outlets.
These fourteen in question is: TMO Online, Fred Lumbuye, Trending Channel UG, Uganda Yaffe, Uganda News Update, Ghetto TV, Busesa Media Update, Uganda Empya, Map Mediya TV, KK Tv, Ekyooto TV, Namungo Media, Jil Muwonge 2 and Bobi Wine 2021.
These 14 entities are on Youtube and these channels have to follow Terms of Services. These channels have to follow laws and the jurisdiction to the Youtube and Google. These entities are following the usage and rightfully so. They are putting out content, because of the ability to do so. If they are putting out content that is deemed illegal or unfit for Google/Youtube. The company can strike them, they can suspend and they can delete it. This is being done on a regular and they can also get demonetized as well… which means that the entities or channels can loose ad revenue, if Youtube deem it unfriendly and make it unprofitable content. That is also something they do to their creators. Therefore, the UCC is sending a warning and possibly making this possible for these channels.
However, the UCC doesn’t have a direct connection or control here. The Google/Youtube enterprise is following laws and statutes from elsewhere. Therefore, the question is in another dominion. Meaning, this can only be a plea by the UC to shut these down or suspend them. However, the UCC doesn’t deliver anything substantial. Other than some nice wordings in a long letter, but no direct proof of the allegations. They are not proving which videos or clips that is horrific or “hate speech”. That is why this is very fruitless.
The UCC is acting as the mouthpiece of the President. He only wants UBC, UBC lite versions out there and New Vision outlets. Which only spew out his propaganda. The President only wants his words and his “victories”. The man doesn’t want other things out and that is undermining his standing in the public. As people are getting news, views and perspective outside his controlled media space. This is why the UCC is going after these 14 Youtube Channels.
The UCC wouldn’t do this, if they wasn’t interested to prove their loyalty. These channels are only targeted because they dare to make content, which is friendly to the main opponent Bobi Wine. If they weren’t they wouldn’t be in trouble or hit like this. Peace.
MinBane 