When a study was conducted in the Buganda region, the mobile phone was found to be a major source of conflict in many households.

For instance, some respondents said they use phones to spy on their spouses.

Other people inadvertently wash their dirty laundry in public by posting private information about their marital lives on their social media platforms.

For others, it is about burying their heads in their phones as part of the so-called silent treatment within the same living space as their partners.

These actions were found to create tension and ignite domestic and gender-based violence in homes, as revealed by the deputy prime minister (katikkiro) of Buganda Kingdom, Hajji Twaha Kaawaase.

He said this on Friday when closing the 2023 Buganda Women Convention in Kalangala district.

Kaawaase urged people, especially women, to respect the use of technology in their homes to prevent discord.

“All these were revealed in research conducted in Buganda, and we call upon women to use such conventions to address these challenges."

For the first time, the Buganda Women's Convention, now in its eighth year, was held outside of the palace.

This year's edition was themed around using technology to fight HIV and AIDS and gender-based violence.

During the convention, women were sensitized to marriage laws as one way of eliminating gender-based violence in families.

While the negative side of technology came to the fore during the discussions, its positive side was equally highlighted.

Dr. Vincent Bagambe, Uganda AIDS Commission director of planning and strategic information, said they can dispense antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to remote islands using medical drones.

“This innovation has reduced delays in supply to people living with HIV and AIDS," he said.

An estimated 1.4 million people are living with HIV in Uganda, according to AIDS Commission data.