Ahead of Uganda's 2021 elections, the government suspended all social media platforms, citing a need to control online misinformation. While access to most platforms has since been restored, Facebook remains blocked.

Facebook, suspended in Uganda since January 2021, could soon be restored, Information Technology and National Guidance Minister Chris Baryomunsi said Tuesday.

Baryomunsi, speaking at a "CEO-Consumer Forum" organized by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) in Kampala, said discussions with Meta, Facebook's parent company, are nearing completion.

He said that once an agreement is reached, there should be no further obstacles, provided Facebook refrains from engaging in local partisan politics and focuses solely on providing its services.

"The issue with Facebook arose during the last electoral period when Facebook took a partisan stance in our local politics," Baryomunsi said. "A platform like Facebook is not expected to take a partisan stance in our local politics. When they began deleting those who belong to the ruling party, and apparently supporting the opposition, this is not a lawless country."

Progress between the two parties had been limited until recently. In December 2022, President Yoweri Museveni said the government would restore Facebook access once it stopped "playing games." "Facebook are arrogant. They were being used to attack us. When our own people tried to answer back they shut us. It has been two years since Facebook was chased out of Uganda. When I checked, boda bodas and taxis were still moving [in absence of Facebook] ; even matooke and milk were still coming. I hope Facebook now knows who is in charge of Uganda!" he said.

Restoring Facebook access is expected to benefit individuals and businesses. In December 2023, a lawyer representing a group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) said the shutdown had cost local businesses $17.5 million. DataReportal figures show the number of social media users in Uganda dropped from 3.4 million in 2021 to 2.4 million in 2025.

The restoration is also expected to improve online security for Ugandans, as using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access the platform exposes them to cyberattack risks.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji