January 13, 2026 l By Stephen — Dalena Reporters
KAMPALA, Uganda — In a dramatic escalation of pre-election controls, Uganda’s Communications regulator has ordered a temporary nationwide shutdown of public internet access and the suspension of mobile SIM card registration just days before the January 15 presidential election, authorities confirmed Tuesday evening. The directive is framed as a security measure intended to curb misinformation and potential unrest, but it has sparked alarm among rights groups, opposition figures and digital rights advocates.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) issued the order on January 13, directing all licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block public internet traffic, halt the sale and registration of new SIM cards, and suspend outbound data roaming services within the One Network Area effective 6 p.m. local time. The measures will remain in place until the UCC explicitly issues a restoration notice.
According to the UCC directive, the shutdown aims to “mitigate the rapid spread of online misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks, as well as prevent incitement of violence that could undermine public confidence and national security during the election period.” The suspension is comprehensive, covering mobile broadband, fibre-optic networks, leased lines, fixed wireless access, microwave links and satellite internet services.
Under the order, ordinary internet usage including social media platforms, web browsing, messaging applications, personal email, video streaming and similar services will be inaccessible to the public, effectively cutting off digital communication and information flows at a critical moment in the electoral calendar.
While the blanket measures will disrupt civilian connectivity, the UCC has defined a strict exclusion list to allow access by authorised individuals and systems essential to national infrastructure, including healthcare networks, aviation and railway communications, critical government data systems, banking and financial services, and select electoral commission platforms. Access to these systems is limited to secure, whitelisted networks and does not extend to general public use.
The crackdown comes amid mounting political tensions in Uganda. President Yoweri Museveni, seeking a seventh term in office, has faced sustained criticism from his main challenger, opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, and civil society activists who argue that the electoral environment is increasingly hostile and restrictive. Critics assert that internet restrictions risk impeding free expression, transparency and citizens’ ability to engage meaningfully in the democratic process.
Rights organisations have denounced the shutdown, warning that curtailing digital connectivity at such a crucial juncture could suppress dissent, limit access to information and erode democratic participation. The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and other observers have called on Ugandan authorities to reconsider the measures, arguing that cutting off the internet may exacerbate tensions rather than ease them.
Opposition figures have also criticised the move. In social media and public statements, Bobi Wine described the shutdown as undermining citizens’ rights and diluting the transparency of the electoral system, particularly in a climate already marked by allegations of harassment, arrests of activists and restrictions on human rights groups.
While internet restrictions during elections are not unprecedented in Uganda similar measures were implemented during the 2021 polls the timing and scope of the current shutdown have prompted outcry from local communities, business owners and international digital rights campaigns. Civil society coalitions have previously urged Kampala to maintain open internet access, stressing its importance for inclusive political participation and accountability.
As the presidential vote approaches, the suspension of public internet services and SIM card registrations highlights deepening anxieties about electoral conduct, information control and the balance between national security and democratic freedoms in Uganda’s politically charged environment.