The journalist says staying connected on social media can sometimes point to unfinished business — or simply a desire to see who is doing better after the breakup.
News anchor and journalist Canary Mugume has weighed in on a familiar relationship dilemma: why former lovers continue following each other on social media long after their relationships have ended.
Speaking on a podcast, Canary was asked why ex-partners in Kampala often remain connected online despite having gone their separate ways.
According to the journalist, the continued connection can sometimes suggest “unfinished business,” particularly when a relationship ends badly.
“They ended perhaps on a bad note and feel like something needs to happen for them to maybe get back together but also want to prove a point, am I doing better than them.”
Some Exes Want to Keep Tabs
Canary suggested that following an ex can also become a way of monitoring their life after the breakup.
Some former partners, he argued, may want to know whether their ex is doing better without them — or use social media as a way of proving that they themselves have moved on.
He described that kind of behaviour as ultimately “nonsensical,” particularly when people become preoccupied with comparing their post-breakup lives.
The journalist, however, stressed that following an ex does not automatically mean there are still romantic feelings.
“I don’t know if it’s right or wrong because it doesn’t necessarily mean anything to follow your ex on social media; however, it could be triggering.”
Social Media Can Keep Old Feelings Alive
Canary warned that constantly seeing an ex-partner’s posts can sometimes reopen emotional wounds or bring back memories that a person is trying to leave behind.
He also noted that such interactions could potentially create problems in a person’s current relationship if they become emotionally affected by what their former partner posts.
For him, the healthier approach is straightforward: once someone has genuinely moved on, they should avoid remaining emotionally tied to the past.
“I feel like if you’ve moved on, you should move on.”
His comments highlight the complicated role social media can play after breakups, where unfollowing, following and quietly monitoring an ex can become part of the process of letting go — or, in some cases, a sign that the relationship may not be completely in the past.