Highlights:
- Ugandan Traders’ Desperate Plea: Unblock Facebook or Ruin Our Livelihoods
- Online Traders in Uganda on the Brink as Facebook Ban Takes Toll
- Loss of Facebook Hits Ugandan Traders Hard: A Cry for Economic Survival
Taders in Kampala city have found their livelihoods hanging by a thread, crippled by the government’s decision to block Facebook during the 2021 general election. The traders are now collectively urging the government to unconditionally reinstate the social media platform.
The traders, organized under the Urban Smart Traders Business Association Limited (USTBAL), claim to have incurred staggering losses and were forced to shut down their businesses due to the sudden absence of clients who they primarily reached through Facebook.
According to Badru Kaboggoza Nsambu, the chairperson and national coordinator of USTBAL, the blockade of Facebook had a devastating domino effect, leading to business closures, layoffs, and disrupted livelihoods for thousands of Ugandans. He emphasized that Facebook had become a vital marketplace for a diverse range of professions, including transporters, boda-boda riders, salon operators, service providers, professionals, and businesses of all sizes.
Kaboggoza Nsambu’s lamentation came during a media briefing at Pearl Highway Hotel on Entebbe Road, where he explained that despite their relentless efforts to have the decision reversed by government entities, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
As a consequence of the Facebook ban, traders found their businesses at a complete standstill. Many have been unable to pay school fees for their children, and some had to park their vehicles due to the inability to afford fuel. The economic repercussions of this decision have been felt deeply.
The traders, led by their lawyer Luyimbaazi Nalukoola, have made it clear that they are prepared to take legal action if the issue remains unresolved. They are calling on President Yoweri Museveni to reconsider the decision and unblock Facebook for the sake of the business community, who have suffered needlessly.
Nalukoola stressed that their group, consisting of approximately 550 registered online traders, heavily relied on Facebook for e-marketing and trade. He disclosed that they operated numerous Facebook pages, groups, online websites, and e-commerce platforms to enhance their business income, which was tragically disrupted by the platform’s closure in Uganda.
The traders turned to other online platforms with significantly higher subscription costs, leading to financial losses. Nalukoola demanded the reinstatement of Facebook and compensation for the affected traders.
Abiola Walakira, the chairperson of Entebbe Taxi Stage in the Kampala New Taxi Park, joined the campaign to request the unblocking of Facebook, citing substantial business losses. The closure prevented them from delivering items to their customers and conducting transactions, resulting in a significant loss of business.
Vice-chairperson Teddy Mutoni, a hairdresser, shared how Facebook bookings were a primary source of clients seeking services at home. Losing this source of income has created difficulties for supporting their families and paying school fees.
Charles Mayanja, owner of Smart Enterprise company, explained that Facebook was their primary means of conducting business, providing services such as curtain fixes and home improvements. The loss of Facebook led to the company’s collapse and the departure of workers. Mayanja, like others, implored the government to reconsider and allow them to regain their livelihoods.
