Ugandans Online voted Patrick Kanyomozi (@PatriqKanyomozi) as the new Ugandans on Twitter (UOT) President —having won in a landslide victory. According to polls, 8,569 votes were cast voted online on the micro-blogging website Twitter, which saw Kanyomozi winning with the biggest percentage of 69.1% in a race he competed with Patrick Mukasa (11.2%), Paul Owor (10.7%), and Methia Nabawanda (9%).
Kanyomozi is the third candidate to take on the role of UOT President, after AIGP Asan Kasingye (2019-20), and Fred Mwebya (2017-2019). He will take on the role until 2023.
AIGP Asan Kasingye congratulated Kanyomozi in a tweet he wrote, “Hongera Patrick on your election as our next UOT President. Being succeeded by you give me pleasure. I know your leadership capabilities and commitment to noble causes. Without any doubt, I know you will treat us with respect irrespective of our different opinion. Blessing.”
Kanyomozi will choose a Vice President to assist in his presidency.
The main role of the President and the Vice President — is to bring UOT together to build and support others in our communities. In addition, encourage them on how best social media can be used to positively impact lives than dividing and creating trolling content that does not bring growth to the platform. As the new UOT President, Kanyomozi and his yet-to-be-named Vice President are expected to;
- Unite all Ugandans on Twitter.
- Defend all Ugandans on Twitter against bad policies.
- Guide the youth on how best to benefit from social media.
- Be a voice for voiceless Ugandans on Twitter.
- Fight corruption in all its forms and encourage proper service delivery by public servants.
- Provide leadership and key insights into the future of social media.
- Be a rallying point of all Ugandans on Twitter especially during campaigns that require helping other UOT members.
- Share public conversations of concern neglected by public media.
- Defend the rights of all Ugandans on Twitter from being violated.
- Encourage innovations and support all startups.
We reached out to Kanyomozi (on Twitter – @PatriqKanyomozi) for a comment, but we got no response.
UOT was birthed in 2017 to encourage Ugandans to join Twitter so as to engage in local conversations that address their local social-economic issues.
Mwebya during his term confirmed that UOT are now focused on local content than before adding that hundreds of youths and startups are now surviving on Twitter as their source of livelihood and survival. “Tweeps are able to promote their business and startups, influence for local brands, in return making a few bucks,” he said.
Twitter is today the most used social media platform in Uganda with a market share of 57.09% according to statistics by Stat Counter. Facebook has been the most used social media platform but ever since the platform was blocked, it drops to the fourth position since Ugandans resorted to using Virtual Private Networks.
