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 nat...
Shetechtive Uganda blog is about issues at the intersection of cyberspace , human rights and global security