US EditionUganda Shuts Down Internet Ahead of Presidential Election
The Uganda Communications Commission mandated the shutdown to prevent misinformation and electoral fraud, with voice calls and SMS remaining available, affecting millions nationwide.
- On January 13, the Uganda Communications Commission ordered a temporary suspension of public internet access and selected mobile services, starting at 18:00 local time on Tuesday, two days before the 15 January vote.
- Security agencies recommended the temporary measures to curb online risks ahead of the vote, and the regulator said the decision followed Inter-Agency Security Committee advice to limit misinformation and electoral fraud.
- The UCC exempted essential services such as large public hospitals and the tax authority, while voice calls and basic SMS were expected to remain operational despite mobile money services suspension.
- Rights groups warned the suspensions heighten concerns about repression and the election environment, with the United Nations calling the shutdown deeply worrying and Human Rights Watch denouncing NGO suspensions and hundreds of detained opposition supporters.
- The move echoes the 2021 internet cut that lasted five days and fuels concerns about fairness as President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his nearly 40-year rule.
175 Articles
175 Articles
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Technical problems disrupt the voting operations for the presidential and legislative elections in Uganda on Thursday, affecting up to the head of state, the opposition denouncing "voluntary" action by the executive to keep Yoweri Museveni in power after 40 years of rule.
Jyllands-Posten
avisendanmark.dkPolls opened in Uganda on Thursday morning, as Yoweri Museveni, who has been president for 40 years, seeks to extend his term in office, the AFP news agency reports. In parts of the capital,...
As Uganda has approached the date of the presidential election, which is taking place on Thursday, tension has increased. At the time of writing this Correspondent Charter, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered all Internet service providers and licensed mobile network operators in the country to temporarily suspend their operations. They argued that the measure seeks to combat “disinformation”, “electoral fraud” and “incitement to …
Daily Journal
Uganda votes under internet blackout and police crackdown
Uganda was on edge as it headed for elections on Thursday, with President Yoweri Museveni expected to extend his 40-year rule amid an internet shutdown and a police crackdown on the opposition.
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