Mmusi Maimane

Mmusi Maimane. Photo by Gallo Images/ Brenton Geach)

Mmusi Maimane wants Uganda’s Museveni banned on Twitter

Former DA leader Mmusi Maimane is unhappy with Uganda’s decision to ban social media during a critical election period and has called on Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to remove the President Yoweri Museveni from the platform

Mmusi Maimane

Mmusi Maimane. Photo by Gallo Images/ Brenton Geach)

Just a week after Twitter deactivated the account of United States (US) President Donald Trump, Mmusi Maimane has called on the social media giant’s founder Jack Dorsey to also ban Uganda’s newly re-elected President Yoweri Museveni.

Maimane’s call comes as Museveni has managed to clinch victory in a hotly contested election alongside frontrunner Bobi Wine, who alleges electoral fraud.

“Remove [Yoweri Museveni] from Twitter. He has killed civilians, he has shut down the internet and social media, he has deployed the army around the home of [Bobi Wine],” Maimane said on Twitter.

He has urged Dorsey to remove Museveni from the platform, if he really does oppose violence and the suppression of internet.

Maimane’s call was spurred a decision by Uganda’s government to ban social media ahead of the elections.

On Monday, 11 January 2021, internet providers received the following message:

“Uganda Communications Commission hereby directs you to immediately suspend any access and use, direct or otherwise, of all social media platforms and online messaging applications over your network until further notice.”

It comes as Twitter has already deactivated several accounts linked to Uganda’s government.

Maimane lashes out at African ‘dictators’: ‘Same Whatsapp group’

Apart from being a critic of government, Maimane has also slammed other leaders in the continent, accusing them of vote rigging on holding onto power for too long. A notable example in that regard (apart from Museveni), would be Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“If you wonder why Africa is suffering from poverty and not making the same progress as other part of the world…,” Maimane tweeted.

“It is because of brutal and incompetent dictators. We must stand with the people of Uganda today”