Uganda Internet Shutdown: Government Cites Security, Misinformation Risks During Election Period

In a move to safeguard the electoral process, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has enforced a temporary shutdown of public internet access and selected mobile services across the nation.

The directive, issued to all licensed telecom operators and internet service providers, follows a stringent recommendation from the country’s Inter-Agency Security Committee.

According to an official statement, the unprecedented measure is a direct response to identified risks. The UCC explicitly linked the suspension to the need to “mitigate the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation, curb risks of electoral fraud, and prevent incitement to violence.”

The commission argued that these threats pose a significant danger to public order, national security, and the integrity of the ongoing elections.

“Following strong recommendation from the Inter-Agency Security Committee, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) on Tuesday issued a directive to all licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to temporarily suspend public internet access and selected mobile services during the election period,” the statement read.

“This measure was taken to mitigate the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation, curb risks of electoral fraud, and prevent incitement to violence, all of which could undermine public order, national security and the integrity of the electoral process,” the statement added.

However, the blackout is not total. The UCC clarified that services deemed “critical and essential” for the nation’s core functions have been exempted to ensure continuity in strategic sectors.

For other organizations believing their operations are vital but were overlooked, the UCC has provided a formal appeal process. Affected entities can petition the commission for a status review by the security committee.

“Services deemed essential were exempted to support critical systems and institutions necessary for maintaining normalcy and continuity in strategic areas of service delivery. Any internet-based services that are not life-saving or critical, and can reasonably be deferred, will regrettably remain suspended for the duration of this period,” the statement further read.

This state-ordered disruption occurs amidst prior controversy over internet accessibility. Just a week earlier, opposition figure Bobi Wine had publicly appealed to SpaceX’s Elon Musk after Starlink internet services were disabled in Uganda.

Wine condemned that action, stating it severed a crucial communication line for citizens ahead of the January 15 election—a poll he views as a peaceful avenue to challenge President Yoweri Museveni’s long-standing administration.

“Elon Musk, here in Uganda, your Starlink has disabled citizens’ access to its internet just days to the January 15th election in which we seek to peacefully end Yoweri Museveni’s 40-year-old dictatorship.

“Like other dictators, Museveni has suffocated free expression, engaged in mass killings, brutally persecuted the opposition, and suppressed citizens’ rights – among other atrocities,” he said.