Female politicians in Uganda turn to Facebook for voter engagement

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By understanding the role of social media in Uganda, Facebook is most used among female politicians to engage with their voters.

A recent study by Pollicy, a Ugandan data-driven organisation, has established that female politicians in Uganda prefer Facebook over other social media platforms for engaging with voters.

The study, which analysed social media usage among women candidates during the 2021 general elections, revealed that 68% of women's social media accounts used Facebook at least once a week for political campaigning.

In contrast to underutilization, Twitter usage among women politicians was significantly lower, with men generating twice as many tweets as women.

The report also revealed that women politicians experienced online violence differently than men, with a higher likelihood of trolling, sexual violence, and body shaming.

"Women politicians were more likely to experience online violence on Twitter compared to Facebook, mainly due to targeted and repeated attacks by perpetrators on Twitter," the report states.

The report was delivered to a cross-section of stakeholder's majority of whom were politicians, during a Town Hall meeting held at Hotel Africana on Thursday.

The meeting was held to discuss Technological issues fueling violence against women in elections.

Brenda Namata, a Programs Coordinator at Pollicy, who read key findings from a report titled Ending Online Violence Against Women in Politics, said they monitored 202 accounts of nominated candidates and influential figures for 76 nominated men and 76 nominated women and 50 influential accounts on both Twitter (now X) and Facebook.

“The use of social media platforms for engaging with voters and constituents by women politicians remains low in Uganda,” Namata revealed. “On Twitter, men candidates generated twice as many tweets, averaging 31 total tweets and replies per account during December 2020 compared to their women counterparts at 14.”



The findings in the report also indicate that women politicians prefer using Facebook compared to Twitter for engaging with voters. Women were more likely to experience online violence on Twitter (X) compared to Facebook.

From a personal account, Rwabwogo Sylvia, former member of parliament for Kabarole district, who is a victim of digital harassment, took centre stage as she narrated her plight that even cost her a seat in Parliament.

She expressed hope that the engagement would mitigate the effects of online violence, I recommend collaborative efforts to empower women with digital safety tools.

“Many people know me for the harassment, not for the many barriers I have broken in my life,” Rwabwogo said. The fear for my safety made me fail to attend meetings. I still live with that fear.”

According to Rwabwogo, 60% of the questions she was bombarded with by her voters during her re-election bid were centred on Brian Isiko, the boy whom she imprisoned for stalking her.

She said this greatly affected her, this trauma even extended to her family members including her two daughters who were in university then, they both endured a tough time as their mother was battling a court case against her stalker, a then 24-year-old Brian Isiko who was arrested and arraigned before court but later released in August 2018.

Rwabwogo partially blames the media for their portrayal of her plight, saying this negatively biased the Judges who presided over her case.

Nicholas Opiyo, a human rights lawyer who was Rwabwogo’s fellow panellist, lauded her for her courage, saying many of the women he has represented have run away and even left the country to seek a safe haven.

“It is good to see all political parties in one room discussing together,” Opiyo stated. Adding that, “I am one of those who have been insulted online.”

Opiyo believes litigation is an important tool that can be used to amplify the voices of the survivors.

What the law says about Cyber Harassment

According to the Cyber harassment Act.

(1) A person who commits cyber harassment is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding seventy-two currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both.

(2) For purposes of this section, cyber harassment is the use of a computer for any of the following purposes; 

(a) making any request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene, lewd, lascivious or indecent;

(b) threatening to inflict injury or physical harm to the person or property of any person; or

(c) knowingly permitting any electronic communications device to be used for any of the purposes mentioned in this section.

3) Offensive communication. Any person who willfully and repeatedly uses electronic communication to disturb or attempts to disturb the peace, quiet or right of privacy of any person with no purpose of legitimate communication whether or not a conversation ensues commits a misdemeanour and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty-four currency points or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both.

4) Cyber stalking. Any person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly uses electronic communication to harass another person and makes a threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her safety or to a member of that person's immediate family commits the crime of cyber stalking and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred and twenty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.