Social media and elections in Uganda: The case of Bobi wine and the Arua primary elections

Abstract

The advancements in information technology and communication systems have propelled public political participation to non-traditional avenues of engagement and decisional influence such as social media. As dictatorial governments gradually render parliamentary structures obsolete and complacent, the public has found solace and an outlet through social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. The question, however, lies in the extent to which these avenues of citizen engagement and participation promote democracy. Thus, by examining the deliberative nature of Bobi Wine's inspired social media debates on parliamentary politics in Uganda, this chapter concludes that even when there are cases of animosity in Facebook threads, citizens strive to offer justification for their standpoints and acts with respect toward the demands of others, hence promoting deliberative democracy.