A Ugandan student and supporter of Presidential hopeful Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has dragged President Museveni to court for reportedly blocking him on his Twitter handle.
A one Hillary Sseguya, a Masters’ degree student from Havard University in the USA, acting through his lawyer Male Mabirizi filed the case at Hugh Court Uganda, compelling court to issue orders to Museveni to unblock him from accessing his twitter handle.
Sseguya whose twitter username is #FreeBobiWine and operates under handle @HillaryTaylorVI claims that on July 30, 2019, President Museveni blocked him from following, viewing, contacting, replying, liking, tagging and retweeting the tweets on his @KagutaMuseveni handle without notice or affording him a hearing.
This he says infringes on his rights from discrimination, freedom of speech, expression, freedom of thought, conscience and belief, as well as his right to participate in the affairs of government and peaceful activities to influence the policies of the government.
Sseguya also claims that by Museveni blocking him, it is a violation of his rights; to access of information in possession of the state/government guaranteed under section 41 of the constitution, to just and fair treatment in administrative decisions guaranteed under article 42 of the constitution and also tantamount to political persecution prohibited under section 43 (2) of the constitution.
He argues that the president opened his twitter handle while in public office and uses the same platform to report and engage with Ugandans on activities by him in his official capacity as the president of Uganda and not in his private capacity.
He also argues that since he stays abroad, he is “only capable of getting information relating to his country’s governance and to communicate to the respective officers, including the fountain of honor through their respective twitter handles.”
Sseguya, therefore, asks the court “to compel Museveni to unblock him as well as prohibit the president of the Republic of Uganda from any further blocking him.”
He also seeks general damages to be paid to him by President Museveni “for inconveniences caused during the time the President blocked him.” He also adds that Museveni should pay for the costs of the case and his lawyers.
