Ugandan Politicians ought to use Social Media

Jacob Zuma has asked people to submit comments and issues that they would like covered in the State of Nation address through Facbook and Twitter. Definitely not the average african  leader, if you ask me. This is the second time that Zuma is doing this. Last year his office called for views, comments and ideas to be sent through Social media. Twitter in particular!

Using the Twitter name @PresidencyZA, the Presidency tweeted: “#SONA2011 The president wants our Twitter family’s views, ideas and comments for his State of the Nation address.” Well this could have been done by anyone of his aides in the President’s Office. But I am sure that he had an idea about what Social media is and its contribution to the social change going on in this world.

Interesting to note though is that after that State of the Nation address last year , member of the ICT sector were up in arms because the industry was not given mention at all, during the address unlike previous years. The address will take place today 9th February, and as was the case last year , I am thinking that #PresidentSona will trend as did #SONA2011 last year!

This year again: Zuma, His office or whoever runs the twitter account has called for in put in issues to be raised in this year’s State of the Nation Platform.  Interesting to note is that on 5th February Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille (@helenzille), national spokesperson Mmusi Maimane (@MaimaneAM), youth leader Makashule Gana (@Makashule) and youth chairperson Mbali Ntuli (@mbalimcdust) yesterday hosted a Twitter Town-hall. The Twitter Town-hall served as an opportunity for the party leadership to listen to the views of South Africans ahead of the State of the Nation Address that is due tomorrow! So it is not just the ANC trying to ‘show off’, the Opposition or other parties are in it as well.

UGANDA: Now back to my home country; New research whose results were made public this year reveal how Africa Tweets [www.portland-communication.com]. South Africa is at the top [as always!] Kenya comes in second beating Nigeria and the Maghreb region. But also important to note is that most of the people that tweet are aged 20-29 years! Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka have very active Twitter Accounts.  NOw when it comes to my beloved Uganda, I doubt Gerald Ssekandi knows what Twitter is all about! Our Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi is very irregular on Twitter, though he has an account!.

My thoughts are that if Ugandans knew that their leaders would actually listen to them via social Media then maybe they would tweet more. And put their ideas out there. Social Media is a great tool for development. It is a new- culture yes, but one that can be adapted to! Politicians both in the ruling government and Opposition need to know that! It is about being relevant. It is about being on point. It is about knowing what works in your favor and taking advantage of it! Before the news makes it to TV, Radio or Print these days, it is online first. We have seen an amazing trend of News breaking on Twitter first.

Social media does not need you to go to the ‘grassroots’ for ‘mobilization’. It calls on you to listen to this ‘elite’ person who can afford sugar when a kilogram is at 4,000/= and when it is at 1,500/=. It helps you mingle with the university student whose hopes and dreams have not yet been crashed by the harsh economic reality and also the woman with 4 children that has an own business and can afford an ‘ipad’. Social Media gives you access to international ‘technocrat’ whose opinions will matter and also gives you access to this international journalist, whose debate could go a long way in shaping your country’s image out there. And all this happens when you allow your privacy be invaded for just about an hour every day. [Lest you become a Twitter addict.]

I have a dream: I dream of a Uganda where the President will actually take time to listen to the views of the people whose mandate he/she has to lead.  Where leaders will not lie about meeting their constituents face to face, but can actually brag about the use of Social media to address the concerns of their people. Jacob Zuma is doing so. Paul Kagame leads the lot of such African leaders. [Maybe that explains why Rwanda according to that Report tweets more than Uganda.] And looking at the power of social media during the ‘Arab Spring’ , I can only say; Ugandan leaders wake up. You owe us so much already.  Listening would be a great way to start out. So Would you just listen? 

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