Uganda has once again switched off the digital lights ahead of a tense presidential election tomorrow. The nationwide internet shutdown tilts an already uneven political field and undermines transparency in one of East Africa’s most closely watched polls.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) instructed all telecoms and internet service providers to suspend public internet access from 6pm local time on Tuesday, citing national security and the need to curb “online misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and the incitement of violence.”
The suspension that kicked off just two days before voters return to the polls in a rematch between President Yoweri Museveni, 81, and opposition challenger Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
Major operators, including MTN Uganda, Airtel Uganda and Roke Telkom, issued notices to customers warning of service disruptions “in compliance with a directive from the regulator.”
In separate messages seen by this publication, the companies said mobile data, fixed broadband, fibre and wireless internet services would be unavailable until further notice, while voice calls and basic SMS would remain operational.
“The suspension applies to mobile broadband, fibre optic, fixed wireless access, microwave links and satellite internet services,” UCC executive director NyombiThembo said in a letter to operators, adding that the decision followed “strong recommendations from security agencies.”
The blackout has immediate consequences for everyday life and the economy. Mobile money transactions, social media platforms, messaging apps, video streaming, ride-hailing services and most online banking channels are expected to be disrupted.
Only select government systems, hospitals and critical financial infrastructure are allowed limited connectivity through dedicated private networks.
Bobi Wine, who released the UCC letter on social media before the shutdown took full effect, slammed the move as a form of political repression.
“Those behind this decision are cowards who fear the truth,” he said.
The opposition leader urged supporters to explore offline and peer-to-peer communication tools. Other civil society voices warned that the blackout would cripple citizens’ ability to document and report abuses in real time.
The shutdown also complicates the work of hundreds of international and regional election observers, journalists, and diplomatic missions, who rely on digital tools to monitor voting, transmit findings, and verify incidents across Uganda’s 45 million-strong population.
Uganda cut internet access during the disputed 2021 election, when protests were met with lethal force and dozens were killed. That precedent is now becoming a regional pattern.
Similar election-period blackouts have been imposed in Tanzania during its bloody polls, reinforcing concerns that digital shutdowns are fast becoming a norm in parts of East Africa whenever political stakes are high.
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