The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has ordered a temporary nationwide shutdown of public internet services, effective today, January 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The directive comes just 48 hours before the country’s high-stakes general election scheduled for Thursday, January 15.
The suspension, announced by UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo, targets all non-essential public internet traffic. This includes mobile broadband, fiber optic, and satellite services. Platforms such as social media, messaging applications (WhatsApp, Telegram), web browsing, and personal email services will remain offline until a restoration notice is issued.
While public access is severed, the UCC has established an exclusion list to maintain critical infrastructure. Essential services permitted to stay online include: Healthcare systems, specifically national referral hospitals, financial services- Banking and mobile money systems (though limited) and Electoral infrastructure which includes voter verification and vote tabulation networks.
Authorities claim the measure follows a recommendation from the Inter-Agency Security Committee. The government cited the need to mitigate the rapid spread of online misinformation, prevent the incitement of violence, and protect national security during the polling period.
“This measure is necessary to prevent content that could affect public confidence during the elections,” stated the UCC notice.
The Uganda internet shutdown occurs amid a heated presidential race. The 81-year-old incumbent, President Yoweri Museveni, is seeking a seventh term to extend his 40-year rule. His primary challenger is the 43-year-old opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
The lead-up to the 2026 polls has been marked by reports of violence and the arrest of opposition supporters. Critics and human rights groups, including the #KeepItOn coalition and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, have condemned the shutdown, calling it a violation of freedom of expression and a tactic to stifle democratic participation.
This move mirrors the total internet blackout imposed during the 2021 general election. Earlier this month, government officials had repeatedly dismissed rumors of an impending shutdown as fake news. However, the recent disabling of Starlink terminals and today’s blanket order confirm the government’s strategy to control the digital narrative as over 21 million registered voters prepare to head to the polls.
Opposition leaders have urged their supporters to remain vigilant, with Bobi Wine previously warning that the “regime is plotting to block communication to prevent citizens from verifying results.”
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