Uganda Shuts Down Internet Ahead of Election to Combat Alleged Disinformation

Uganda shut down internet access across the country Wednesday night, just hours before polls opened for a contentious presidential election. The unprecedented measure comes amid escalating tensions between longtime President Yoweri Museveni and his main challenger, pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine.

Ugandan authorities framed the shutdown as necessary to prevent the spread of disinformation that could disrupt the electoral process. The Uganda Communications Commission ordered service providers to suspend all internet gateways until further notice, effectively cutting the nation’s 18 million internet users from both domestic and international online communication.

“The government has shut down the internet because they fear the people,” Wine told reporters at a press conference in Kampala. “They don’t want Ugandans to talk to each other. They don’t want Ugandans to reveal the fraud and irregularities that are already ongoing.”

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has emerged as the most significant challenger to Museveni’s 35-year rule. The 38-year-old former musician has galvanized young voters with his calls for political change in a country where more than 75 percent of the population is under 30 years old.

The internet blackout follows months of escalating restrictions on social media platforms and messaging services. In early January, Facebook removed several accounts linked to Uganda’s Ministry of Information, citing evidence they were being used to manipulate public debate ahead of the election. The government responded by blocking access to Facebook and other social media platforms.

International observers have expressed concern about the shutdown’s implications for electoral transparency. Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, called the move “a blatant violation of the right to freedom of expression and access to information.”

“The blocking of social media platforms is clearly intended to silence the few accredited election observers, opposition politicians, human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and bloggers who are monitoring the elections,” Jackson said.

The shutdown has significant economic ramifications for Uganda, a growing technology hub in East Africa. The country has made substantial investments in digital infrastructure over the past decade, with tech startups and e-commerce businesses emerging as important economic drivers. Industry analysts estimate that each day of internet blackout costs the Ugandan economy approximately $6 million.

This disruption comes as Uganda already faces economic challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Bank projects that Uganda’s economic growth will slow to 2.9 percent in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, down from 5.6 percent the previous year, largely due to pandemic-related disruptions.

The shutdown also affects humanitarian operations in a country that hosts over 1.4 million refugees, primarily from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Aid organizations rely heavily on internet connectivity to coordinate relief efforts and maintain contact with field operations.

Uganda’s election pits 76-year-old Museveni, who has held power since 1986, against a field of 10 challengers, with Wine considered the most formidable. Museveni has defended the internet restrictions as a security measure against foreign interference.

“This is a matter of life and death. It’s not a matter of convenience or expression or just talking,” Museveni said in a televised address Tuesday. “We cannot tolerate the arrogance of anybody coming to decide for us who is good and who is bad.”

Election observers note that internet shutdowns have become increasingly common during African elections, with similar measures implemented in recent years in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. Digital rights advocates warn that such practices threaten democratic processes and violate international standards for free and fair elections.

Polling stations across Uganda will remain open until 4 p.m. local time, with results expected within 48 hours. With internet access severed, many Ugandans will rely on radio broadcasts and word of mouth for news about the outcome of this critical election that could determine the future direction of one of East Africa’s most influential nations.