Uganda makes internet U-turn, orders shutdown two days before elections
Uganda’s government has announced a temporary shutdown of public internet access during the upcoming election period, reversing earlier assurances that no such restrictions were planned.
The decision was confirmed in a directive issued by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), which ordered mobile network operators and internet service providers to suspend public internet access and selected mobile services starting at 6:00 pm on January 13, 2026. The suspension will remain in force until further notice.
Just days earlier, authorities had denied claims by the main opposition that the government intended to cut internet access to prevent mobilisation and the sharing of election results. Those concerns intensified last week after satellite internet provider Starlink restricted its services in Uganda following an order from the regulator.
According to the UCC, the shutdown follows a “strong recommendation” from the Inter-Agency Security Committee and is aimed at preventing the spread of misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and incitement to violence during the polls. The commission said the measures are necessary to protect public confidence and national security.
Under the directive, services to be suspended include public internet access, the sale and registration of new SIM cards, and outbound data roaming services to countries within the One Network Area. The shutdown applies across mobile broadband, fibre optic connections, leased lines, fixed wireless access, microwave radio links and satellite internet services.
The UCC said all non-essential public internet traffic, including social media platforms, web browsing, video streaming, personal email services and messaging applications, must be blocked during the suspension period.
A limited number of essential services will be exempted under a strictly controlled exclusion list, allowing continued access for critical national functions such as network monitoring and infrastructure management. Access to these systems will be restricted to authorised personnel and secured through whitelisted mechanisms such as dedicated IP ranges or private networks. Operators have been instructed to suspend access immediately if any abuse is detected.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
