Uganda 2026 Elections: Nationwide Internet Shutdown and Its Implications for Electoral Integrity and Stability

Executive Summary

On 13 January 2026, Uganda’s communications regulator, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), ordered a nationwide suspension of public internet access starting at 18:00 local time, just two days before the general elections held on 15 January 2026. The shutdown disrupted social media, messaging platforms, web browsing, and most online services, with limited exemptions for critical infrastructure. Authorities said the measure was necessary to prevent misinformation, electoral fraud, and incitement to violence during an intensely polarized election period.

The blackout mirrors tactics used during the 2021 elections and forms part of a broader pattern of pre-election repression, including mass arrests of opposition supporters, restrictions on media reporting, and the deactivation of Starlink satellite services following regulatory directives. President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986 and seeking a seventh term, faced a strong challenge from Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) and his National Unity Platform (NUP), which draws significant support from urban youth frustrated by unemployment, corruption, and perceived dynastic consolidation.

Voting took place under heavy security deployment and was accompanied by reports of delays, biometric verification failures, and opposition allegations of ballot stuffing. While large-scale unrest appears to have been contained, the shutdown undermined transparency, voter mobilization, and independent monitoring—raising serious concerns about the credibility of the electoral process and the longer-term stability of Uganda’s political order.

Background: Uganda’s Electoral and Security Context

Uganda’s 2026 general elections, held on 15 January, elected the President and Parliament amid growing generational and institutional tension. President Museveni, now 81, has ruled continuously since taking power in 1986 after a five-year guerrilla war. Constitutional changes in 2005 (removing presidential term limits) and 2017 (removing age limits) enabled him to remain in office. His National Resistance Movement (NRM) continues to present itself as the main guarantor of stability and development.

The opposition is led by Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old former musician turned politician. His rise reflects widespread youth frustration in a country where more than 70% of the population is under 35, and where unemployment, inequality, and corruption remain central grievances. His 2021 campaign was marked by state violence, including his detention and reports of severe abuses; protests that year reportedly resulted in over 50 deaths. Through the NUP, Wine has mobilized urban and peri-urban voters and framed the 2026 election as a generational contest against entrenched power and “family rule.”

In the weeks before the vote, repression intensified. Reports included mass arrests of opposition supporters, harassment of journalists, and the detention of prominent figures such as Kizza Besigye, who faced treason charges. Authorities also banned live media coverage of riots and “unlawful processions,” while security forces deployed heavily in areas considered opposition strongholds. In early January 2026, Starlink services were restricted following UCC directives citing unlicensed operations, removing a potential alternative route for internet access during any terrestrial blackout.

Incident Description: The Internet Suspension

On 13 January 2026, the UCC instructed mobile network operators and internet service providers to suspend public internet access nationwide from 18:00, citing recommendations from a national security committee. The shutdown affected social media platforms, messaging applications (including WhatsApp), web browsing, streaming services, and most mobile data access. Exemptions were reportedly granted for essential services such as healthcare systems, banking networks, tax platforms, utilities, and the Electoral Commission’s online portal.

Network monitoring organizations such as NetBlocks reported sharp declines in internet traffic following the order. The shutdown came after earlier official denials that such a measure was planned and shortly after Starlink connectivity was disrupted—moves that opposition figures described as a coordinated attempt to preempt alternative communication channels.

Authorities justified the suspension as a preventive step against the “weaponization” of the internet for hate speech, fraud, and unrest. Critics—including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the UN Human Rights Office, and the #KeepItOn coalition—condemned the blackout as a violation of freedom of expression and access to information, particularly during elections. The shutdown also created an information vacuum, increasing the risk that abuses or irregularities could occur without real-time scrutiny.

Targets and Strategic Rationale

The blackout’s primary target was not an individual group, but digital communication itself. By restricting connectivity, authorities reduced the opposition’s ability to coordinate, limited citizen journalism, and slowed the spread of evidence related to alleged irregularities.

This was particularly significant because Bobi Wine and the NUP depend heavily on social media for outreach and mobilization. The approach echoed the 2021 election period, when the government imposed a multi-day internet shutdown alongside widespread violence and a prolonged restriction on Facebook.

Strategically, the measure fits within Museveni’s long-standing governance framework: emphasizing stability, controlling political narratives, and framing restrictive policies as security necessities. The inclusion of Starlink restrictions also reflected growing regime awareness of satellite-based “workarounds,” reinforcing the goal of comprehensive information control.

Conflicting Reports and Effectiveness Assessment

Government officials argued the blackout reduced the likelihood of violence and helped ensure public order. Voting proceeded under heavy security, though logistical problems were widely reported, including biometric failures that required manual procedures in some areas.

Opposition figures, including Bobi Wine, alleged large-scale ballot stuffing, intimidation, abductions of party agents, and manipulation of results—claims they argued were made easier by the information blackout. Rights organizations and some observer groups described a pervasive climate of fear, arguing that arrests, restrictions, and intimidation distorted the electoral playing field.

No major nationwide violence was reported on election day, suggesting the shutdown may have contributed to short-term stability. However, it also reduced independent oversight and public confidence. In effect, the tactic may have limited immediate unrest while increasing longer-term political grievances—especially among younger voters for whom digital communication is central to daily life and political engagement.

Analysis: Broader Security Implications

Uganda’s 2026 elections highlight the fragility of legitimacy in a political system that relies heavily on security dominance rather than broad-based inclusion. Museveni’s continued rule has been sustained through liberation-era credibility, institutional control, and forceful containment of challengers. Yet generational change is increasingly testing that model, and Bobi Wine’s appeal reflects a deeper demand for political renewal.

The shutdown, combined with arrests and media restrictions, signals strong regime concern over uncontrolled information flows in the era of youth-driven digital activism. While these measures may prevent rapid mobilization, they also deepen mistrust in public institutions and may accelerate political polarization. They also complicate long-term succession politics, particularly amid speculation about the role of Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, in Uganda’s future leadership landscape.

Regionally, Uganda’s approach reinforces a wider pattern across Africa: election-period digital restrictions that erode democratic norms, generate international criticism, and yet often fail to meaningfully weaken incumbent advantages.

Recommendations and Outlook

To reduce political risk and support credible electoral outcomes, the following steps are recommended:

• Restore full internet access immediately and establish clear commitments against future election-related shutdowns.
• Support independent investigations into alleged irregularities and abuses, with transparent public reporting.
• Encourage African Union and regional engagement to strengthen norms on digital rights and electoral integrity.
• Strengthen domestic civil society capacity for offline organizing, documentation, and parallel vote tabulation where feasible.
• Apply consistent diplomatic pressure—potentially including conditionality on aid—to encourage measurable improvements in civic space and human rights protections.

As vote counting and result announcements continue, attention will shift to the credibility of final outcomes and the opposition’s response, including legal challenges and possible demonstrations. If disputes are not addressed transparently, suppressed tensions may resurface after the immediate security clampdown eases. Continued monitoring will be essential to assess whether Uganda can navigate this transition without renewed instability.