Kampala, 09^th/Nov/2015; the Ugandan Internet is facing risks of being killed as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Manifesto fails to embrace principles of Internet governance.

The ruling party Manifesto, which was launched on Friday the 6^th/11/2015 focuses on maintaining the status quo of controlling the use of the Internet through restrictive cyber laws and prioritize surveillance through connecting security agencies administrative units among others and there’s no plan (s) to work together with other stakeholders to develop the internet.

The Unwanted Witness believes that the Internet cannot be developed single-handedly by a political regime but rather the promotion of an open “multistakeholder” forum for government, business, and civil society groups to come together and shape the evolution and the use of the Internet in the country is indispensable.

The Manifesto also has no plans once the party is elected into power again to protect the right to Privacy through enacting the long-awaited Privacy and Data protection law, that would enforce Article 27 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, safe guard personal data of 22 million mobile phone subscribers in Uganda whose information remains in the custody of private operators.  Increase affordable Internet access, which is essential to achieve the social development and inclusive-knowledge based economies and many more other areas.

We also noted that the ruling party inflated the figures of Internet users in Uganda. According to Internet Statistics for the world Internet users, Uganda is currently at number 55 with about 6.6 million Internet users compared to 13 million users quoted by the National Resistance Movement.

For more information contact;
THE UNWANTED WITNESS – Uganda/
Plot 41 Gadaffi Road, Makerere- Kampala
P. O. Box 71314 Clock Tower K’la
Telephone: +256 414 697 635
Email:         info@unwantedwitness.or.ug
Website:   www.unwantedwitness.or.ug
Skype:        unwantedwitness
Twitter:     @unwantedwitness
Face book: Unwantedwitness-Uganda