We Can Develop Our Own Facebook, says Minister Baryomunsi

Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, has said that Ugandans can actually develop their own Facebook and other similar applications instead of relying on foreign innovations.

While speaking during the 2nd Annual National ICT Job Fair held at Kololo Independence Grounds a week ago, Baryomunsi said young people often ask when Facebook will be accessible again.

“Why can’t you create your own social media platform?” he asked them.

While addressing journalists on Wednesday at Uganda Media Centre, Baryomunsi said the government through the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) continues to engage with Facebook on the matter.

“What is wrong with our innovators? Why can’t we develop our own Facebook and other platforms?” he wondered.

He added: “Because we have the funds for innovation as a ministry and we support innovators to come up with different applications.”

He asked young Ugandans to think innovatively and create their own apps.

“So, I still, stand by what I said, ‘that we should be able to come up with these kinds of applications, instead of glorifying those which are developed by people from outside, because they are not necessarily more intelligent than us here in Uganda’.”

On the reopening of the social media platform in Uganda, Baryomunsi said UCC has been engaging with Facebook, “but I think they have not yet finally agreed on all the do’s and don’ts”.

He said Facebook was closed because it engaged in partisan politics here in Uganda during the 2021 general elections.

Ever since, Facebook remains unavailable in Uganda save for users who rely on virtual private networks (VPNs) to access it.

“Yet, all these platforms and all actors must conform to the requirements of the law here in Uganda because Uganda is not a lawless country; it is not a country of anarchy where you can just come and do anything. However, good you might be, but you must conform,” Baryomunsi stated.

He added: “So there has been that engagement, which has taken some time. And then the last time I checked, there were three outstanding issues which were yet to be agreed upon. And once there is an agreement, then it may be open. That is the issue.”