Uganda’s Security Commission has ordered a complete public internet shutdown, citing concerns over misinformation and electoral fraud as 81-year-old President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his nearly 40-year rule in elections scheduled for January 15.
The Uganda Communications Commission directed operators to provide only essential services. Multiple journalists covering opposition rallies have been assaulted, while at least six NGOs, including media advocacy and human rights groups, were suspended.
Meanwhile, the East African Community deployed election observers to monitor the process, though critics warn the restrictions mirror the 2021 elections when authorities imposed a multi-day blackout. Digital rights advocates say such measures undermine transparency and restrict civic participation during critical democratic moments.
Uganda:
Journalists Assaulted, Internet Shutdown Ahead of Uganda Elections
CPJ, 13 January 2026
Ugandan journalist Ssematimba Bwegiire lost consciousness immediately after a security officer electrocuted him with a stun gun and pepper-sprayed him in the mouth. But he did not… Read more »
Uganda:
Govt Suspends Top NGO Chapter Four Over Security Concerns
Nile Post, 12 January 2026
In a move that has sent shockwaves through Uganda’s civil society sector, the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO Bureau) has suspended the operating permit of… Read more »
Uganda:
Uganda Goes to the Polls Amid Promises of Economic Development and Accusations of Repression
Agenzia Fides, 13 January 2026
Uganda is preparing to hold presidential elections on January 15. As in other countries on the continent, the Ugandan election is marked by the confrontation between a president… Read more »
Uganda:
Regulator Defends Internet Monitoring, Rules Out Shutdown for January 15 Polls
Nile Post, 13 January 2026
The Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Nyombi Thembo, has reiterated the regulator’s mandate to monitor online activity for regulatory and national… Read more »
Africa Check, 13 January 2026
Uganda communications regulator denies notice on internet, mobile money shutdown ahead of 2026 elections Read more »
East Africa:
EAC Deploys Observers to Monitor Uganda Polls Ahead of January 15 Vote
Nile Post, 13 January 2026
The East African Community (EAC) has officially deployed its Election Observation Mission to Uganda ahead of the 2026 General Elections scheduled for Thursday, January 15. Read more »
Uganda:
‘Strong Recommendation’ from Security Committee Leads to Internet Shutdown
Nile Post, 13 January 2026
The government has directed all mobile network operators and internet service providers to temporarily suspend public internet access and selected mobile services during the… Read more »
The campaign for this month’s general elections began calmly enough, according to Kristof Titeca, an expert on governance in Uganda at the Institute of Development Policy at the University of Antwerp. “But as soon as Bobi Wine and his political party, the NUP, really started campaigning, the repression escalated,” he told RFI.
Voters in Uganda are faced with limited information about how the voting process works or what to expect from candidates as the country prepares for elections in January, according to reports.
Experts say the decline in voter education is to blame, citing years of shrinking resources – worsened most recently by the cuts in
Prominent Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has made a substantial financial contribution to the presidential campaign of Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine. Besigye, who is currently imprisoned on treason charges, reportedly delivered the funds through his wife, Winnie Byanyima, as campaigning for the January 15 election enters
(file photo)