Many people have been contacting me to inquire about my silence about the ongoing #socialmedia shutdown and #internet disruptions in #Uganda.

Since it is a Sunday and I have some time, I thought that I should do a thread and share a few thoughts via this thread. (1)

I'm not in support of network disruptions because they cause friction in systems which are aimed at facilitating voice, data, and video data in a single network offering, instead of providing separate networks for each of these services. Disruptions throttle free data flow. See

The #digital economy is meant to achieve economies of scale through "network effects". These direct & indirect effects have a simple formula. More users= more data = smarter algorithms= more sellers = more value (revenue and taxes). Blockades disrupt this chain and destroy value.

Disruptions encourage use of #VPNs for users to circumvent internet censorship. However, VPNs skew/hide national internet data figures thus making it hard for govt & companies to have accurate stats of market opportunities, growth areas, actual users, etc. This affects decisions.

Now, you will hear the term "over-the-top" (OTT) services. It is a misnomer. It was coined by incumbents (telcos) to refer to new internet based communication channels e.g Skype, Viber, Messenger, etc. Everything on the internet is an OTT. Still an evolving & very lucrative field

VPNs also pose a significant national #cybersecurity risk as most Ugandans are downloading free online versions of anything styled as "VPN". Having troves of citizen personal data in hands of unknown third parties exposes citizens & national systems to #cybercrime & dark web risk

I've been talking about #NetNeutrality (the principle that all lawful content on the internet should be treated equally). See sec 5(c) of Uganda's Electronic Transactions Act, 2011 & all these #policy & #legal objectives we espouse. We cannot have the internet in bits and pieces.

There is real risk of eroding investor trust & confidence in the Ugandan digital space. Investment cannot go to areas where the hand is happily "on and off the switch" yet there are more attractive and stable markets e.g Kenya, Mauritius, Ethiopia (opening up massively), etc.

Of course, Africa will argue that there are our "friends" the Chinese and Huawei for infrastructure lay out, but we all know that there is no free lunch. #Surveillance technology has it's own limitations, especially when you need that citizen trust & confidence in these systems.

Managing demands and expectations of a new age are driving huge attitudinal shifts on the side of the leaders & decision makers. We have a very small window for #Uganda & #Africa not to squander this demographic dividend of a youthful population. Decisions must create new wealth

In 2018, I raised these issues in the "OTT tax" case (which is still in Court).

As an Advocate & a Petitioner, I will not use social media to berate the Court but I believe that the urgency of that case is self-evident for all to see. Clarity on issues informs prudent decisions.

I've shared this an expert in this field and it represents my personal views and opinions. I am not a decision maker, but I know that in my little space, I can influence a thing or two using this platform. If unpalatable and disagreable to you, I apologize in advance.

Therefore, I have decided that;

(a) I will join #HumanRights defenders to defend anyone arrested for using VPN pro bono.

(b) I will open my global networks & connections to interested parties advocating for social media restoration in Uganda & defence of internet freedoms.

Lastly the Uber, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, etc experiences are not only shaping the private sector. They are also shaping how citizens interact with govt & expectations. Failure to be citizen-centric is the biggest threat to any govt now.

You are free to arrest me if you want.