January 19, 2026 — Dalena Reporters
Kampala, Uganda — After nearly a week of restricted connectivity coinciding with the nation’s fraught 2026 general election, Ugandan authorities have restored public internet access nationwide while maintaining ongoing social media restrictions, a move that continues to fuel domestic and international concerns over freedom of information and democratic transparency.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) announced on January 18, 2026 that general internet services including web browsing, email, financial services and government platforms would be reinstated following the conclusion of election proceedings that saw 81-year-old President Yoweri Museveni declared the winner of a seventh term.
However, the regulatory body affirmed that social media platforms and messaging applications will remain restricted “until further notice,” citing national security and “public order” concerns amid heightened tensions and disputed election outcomes.
The internet blackout began on January 13, 2026, two days before the election. Authorities ordered mobile network operators and internet providers to suspend services and halt SIM card registrations, a decision the UCC justified as necessary to prevent the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation and incitement to violence during a sensitive electoral period.
Critics, including opposition figures and international observers, have characterised the shutdown and continuing social media restrictions as tactics to control information flow, suppress dissent and curtail independent reporting. They argue that cutting digital communication undermined transparency, impeded voter access to information and skewed public perception in favour of the incumbent administration.
The restrictions occurred against a backdrop of contention surrounding the January 15 elections, which yielded official results placing Museveni at approximately 71.65 % of the vote — results rejected by opposition leader Bobi Wine, who decried alleged ballot manipulation, ballot stuffing and suppression of opposition activities throughout the campaign.
During the shutdown, internet traffic fell dramatically, severely disrupting not only communication but also digital commerce, mobile money transactions and everyday online services relied upon by millions of Ugandans. Civil society organisations, including digital rights advocates, decried the blackout as a violation of fundamental freedoms and called on authorities to uphold citizens’ rights to information and expression.
Since the restoration of basic internet services, many Ugandans have reported that social media and messaging platforms remain inaccessible without the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), while connectivity speeds and reliability continue to vary. Some businesses and citizens expressed relief at the phased return of online access, while others remain frustrated by ongoing limitations that affect digital engagement and expression.
UCC’s executive leadership has emphasised the agency’s intent to strike a balance between national security imperatives and citizens’ need for communication infrastructure, pledging to monitor digital spaces closely and lift social media restrictions only when deemed safe.
The developments in Uganda’s digital landscape emerge amid broader global debates over internet shutdowns during elections and the tension between curbing harmful content and safeguarding democratic participation. Rights groups have urged governments worldwide to avoid using network disruptions as political tools, stressing their impact on civil liberties, economic activity and open discourse.
As political divisions persist and opposition figures continue to question the credibility of the electoral process, the partial restoration of internet access — without full social media connectivity underscores enduring challenges in Uganda’s evolving political and information environment.
### Related Developments:
- President Museveni’s seventh term extends his rule into a fifth decade amid persistent opposition rejection of results.
- Opposition protests and clashes have been reported in Kampala and other urban centres since the election.
- Digital rights organisations maintain pressure on Kampala to fully restore access and respect freedom of expression.