By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, has ordered the shutdown of the internet ahead of the January 15 election.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday which stated that, “The Uganda Communications Commission has ordered a temporary shutdown of public internet access and selected mobile services effective January 13, 2026, at 6 p.m. local time, ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for January 15, 2026. This directive aims to prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and electoral fraud. The shutdown affects mobile broadband, fibre optic connections, leased lines, fixed wireless access, microwave radio links, and satellite internet services.
Essential services like healthcare systems, financial services, government administrative systems, and critical national functions are exempted from the shutdown. Operators are required to block all non-essential public internet traffic, including social media platforms, web browsing, video streaming, personal email services, and messaging applications. The Uganda Communications Commission has warned that any operator unable to fully implement the directive must shut down their entire internet infrastructure for the duration of the suspension.
The shutdown has raised concerns about the restriction of freedom of expression and access to information. Human rights organizations have condemned the measure, warning that blackouts during elections impede transparency, restrict freedom of expression, and limit independent verification of events on the ground. The opposition has also criticized the government’s decision, framing it as a challenge to transparency during the electoral process.
