KAMPALA — Ugandan authorities have implemented a total internet shutdown just days before the country’s general election, a move that has heightened fears of repression as President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his four-decade rule.
On Tuesday, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered all mobile network operators to suspend internet access starting at 6:00 PM (15:00 GMT). Internet monitor NetBlocks subsequently confirmed a “nation-scale disruption to internet connectivity.”
The blackout comes as the 81-year-old Museveni, Africa’s third-longest-serving leader, vies for a seventh term against a fractured opposition led by pop star-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
Official Justification vs. Prior Assurances
The government defended the shutdown as a necessary public safety measure. The UCC stated the decision was intended to curb “online misinformation, disinformation, and electoral fraud,” as well as to prevent the “incitement of violence.”
However, this directive contradicts assurances made earlier this month. As recently as January 5, the UCC had dismissed reports of a looming blackout as “mere rumours,” publicly committing to guaranteeing uninterrupted connectivity nationwide.
This marks the second consecutive presidential election in which Uganda has cut digital communications; the 2021 election, which was marred by widespread protests and dozens of fatalities, saw an internet blackout lasting at least a week.
An Atmosphere of “Widespread Repression”
The run-up to the January 15 vote has been characterized by violence and a crackdown on dissent.
- Opposition Suppression: Security personnel have reportedly rounded up hundreds of opposition supporters and deployed tear gas and live ammunition at pro-Wine rallies. Meanwhile, Kizza Besigye, a veteran opposition figure who challenged Museveni in four previous elections, remains jailed on treason charges.
- NGOs Suspended: In addition to the digital blackout, the government ordered two prominent rights groups—Chapter Four Uganda and the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda—to halt operations immediately. The state-run National Bureau for NGOs accused Chapter Four Uganda of activities “prejudicial” to national security.
- International Criticism: The United Nations Human Rights Office has condemned the environment of “widespread repression and intimidation.”
Electoral Outlook
Despite the challenge from Bobi Wine and six other candidates, analysts predict the incumbent maintains a decisive advantage. The Brussels-based International Crisis Group assessed that Museveni, “with his firm grip on the levers of state power… has re-election all but locked down.”
Wine, who views his candidacy as a campaign “against impunity,” has expressed doubt regarding the integrity of the process, stating he does not believe the election will be free or fair.
Kristof Titeca, a Uganda expert at Antwerp University, noted that the government’s heavy-handed tactics have made it “too dangerous” for the opposition to organize effectively. “The price people have to pay for engaging in political opposition has become very high,” Titeca said.
Approximately 21.6 million registered voters in the East African nation of 45 million are expected to head to the polls on Thursday.
