In the early evening of January 13, 2026, as millions of Ugandans were preparing to finalize their thoughts and engage in one of the most consequential elections in recent history, the government quietly flipped a switch that plunged our digital world into silence. At 6:00 pm, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered a nationwide internet shutdown, cutting off public access to the web and silencing the online voices of citizens across the country . This was just two days before the January 15 general election. (TheStar). This was not a technical glitch. This was an intentional blackout. See the exact shutdown directives at the end of the blog.
A Country Cut Off at a Critical Moment
The shutdown was not partial or isolated. It blocked
mobile and fixed-line services, including social media platforms,
messaging apps, and VPN access that many citizens rely on to communicate,
stay informed, and share eyewitness accounts. (TheStar)
For a nation where more than 20 million people regularly
use digital services, this was more than a disruption. It was a suspension
of rights at a moment when freedom of expression and access to information
mattered most. (allAfrica.com)
Why the Shutdown Matters
Authorities justified the action by saying it would curb
“misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks,” and avoid
“incitement of violence that could affect public confidence” during the
electoral period. (ucc.co.ug)
But from a human rights perspective, the implications are
stark as you can see below.
1. Undermining Freedom of Expression
Access to the internet is no longer a luxury. It is a human
right entangled with freedom of speech, political participation, and
transparent governance. Cutting off internet access during an election blocks
the free flow of information and restricts citizens from engaging in public
debate or reporting abuses. (Monitor)
2. Silencing Citizen Voices
Whether it’s sharing testimonies from polling stations,
discussing candidates, or communicating via WhatsApp and other apps, the
internet amplifies voices that might otherwise go unheard. When the government
shuts down that access, it effectively sidelines millions of Ugandans at a
critical civic moment. (ucc.co.ug)
3. Economic and Daily Life Impact
The blackout also disrupted essential digital services that
underpin everyday life, including banking, online work, education and mobile
money, affecting small businesses and informal traders disproportionately. (ucc.co.ug)
The Restoration and Its Limits
After roughly five days of digital blackout, the UCC
announced that general internet access was being restored as of January
18, 2026, following consultations with the Inter-Agency Security
Committee. According to UCC Executive Director Mr. Nyombi Thembo, “As
of midnight today, general public internet access has been fully restored. This
includes web browsing, access to news websites, educational resources,
government portals, financial services, email, and other essential online
activities.” (ucc.co.ug)
Yet, Mr. Thembo was clear about the continued restrictions:
“Social media platforms and messaging applications remain
temporarily restricted to continue safeguarding against misuse that could
threaten public order.” (Monitor)
This meant that while you could check bank balances or open
a webpage, popular platforms like WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram,
Telegram, and TikTok were still off-limits without workarounds like VPNs.
These are tools that many Ugandans scrambled to use. (TechRadar)
Throttling: Connectivity Restored, Access Still
Constrained
Beyond the continued
blocking of social media and messaging platforms, as of 21st January,
users across the country reported that the partially restored internet was
deliberately degraded. While nominal access to the web had resumed, connection
speeds were significantly reduced, with pages taking unusually long to load,
video and audio content largely unusable, and even basic online tasks
frequently timing out.
From a technical and
digital rights perspective, this reflects a practice known as intentional
bandwidth throttling. The deliberate slowing of internet traffic to limit
effective use without imposing a full shutdown. Throttling creates the
appearance of access while functionally restricting the ability to communicate,
organize, publish information, or monitor public processes in real time.
Activists and
technologists observed that the network behaved as if operating under an
imposed speed cap, undermining the usability of the internet for journalism, civic
engagement, online work, and emergency communication. This form of restriction
is increasingly recognized as a “shutdown by another name”, as it chills
expression and limits participation while avoiding the visibility and backlash
of a total blackout.
For communities
already navigating blocked platforms, restricted VPN access, and delayed
restoration of mobile money, throttling compounded the harm, reinforcing
concerns that digital controls during elections are not binary, but exist on a
spectrum of suppression that includes slowdowns, selective access, and opaque
technical interference.
From a human rights
standpoint, an internet that is intentionally slowed is not meaningfully
accessible, and therefore fails to meet states’ obligations to uphold freedom
of expression, access to information, and democratic participation in the
digital age.
Mobile Money: A Slow Return to Normalcy
The shutdown didn’t just clip social and informational
exchanges .It also severed the digital lifeblood of the economy. Mobile
money services which are the backbone of everyday financial transactions for millions
were also largely unavailable during the shutdown, leaving many unable to
buy essentials or pay for services.
It was only on January 20, 2026 that mobile money
operations officially came back online, as confirmed by telecom
operators after the period of restricted financial service access. (Technext)
VPNs and the Government’s Response
With mainstream platforms blocked, many turned to Virtual
Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass restrictions. The surge in VPN use was
dramatic, with providers reporting spikes in downloads and sign-ups as citizens
sought to circumvent the social media block. (Tom'sGuide)
However, Mr. Thembo and the UCC issued warnings to users,
stressing that:
“Those bypassing internet restrictions with VPNs, don’t
be surprised that we may attack you & your device may not go on the network
again.” (Watchdog Uganda)
He framed this as part of the government’s commitment to
uphold public order and counter misuse , yet many tech advocates see such
rhetoric as chilling and a threat to basic digital rights. (NEWSDAY)
The Human Cost
Imagine waking up one morning as a student and finding that you can no longer access the digital classroom you depend on. Or as a micro-entrepreneur, suddenly cut off from your customers and income stream because mobile money no longer works.
For many Ugandans, the internet is not just entertainment .It’s
livelihood, education, social connection, and civic engagement. Shutting it
down stripped people of tools they use daily to work, learn, speak, and
organize.
Legal Challenges and the Road Ahead
In the aftermath of the shutdown, legal challenges have
emerged. Citizens have filed cases in the High Court of Uganda, arguing
that the blackout violated constitutional freedoms , including the right to
free expression, access to information, and political participation. (Monitor)
These challenges force us to confront a fundamental
question: Do digital rights count as human rights in a modern democracy? And
if they do, how far must a state go before curtailing them becomes unlawful?
Conclusion: A Rallying Cry for Digital Rights
Uganda’s 2026 internet shutdown is more than a political
episode , it’s a warning. It illustrates the fragility of digital freedoms when
the internet becomes a tool to be turned on or off at the whim of power.
As human rights defenders, we must demand:
- Clear
legal safeguards against arbitrary internet restrictions.
- Accountability
and transparency for government actions affecting digital access.
- Recognition
that access to the internet is essential for democratic participation and
human dignity.
Every day that internet access is used responsibly and
freely is a day we assert that democracy cannot be blacked out, silenced, or
made invisible.
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