Group Slams Uganda’s Internet Shutdown Ahead of Thursday's Poll

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Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has criticised the internet shutdown imposed in Uganda ahead of Thursday’s general election, describing it as a major setback for digital rights.

The digital advocacy group also faulted restrictions on media coverage of protests and demonstrations in a statement it issued on Wednesday, January 14.

“These actions constitute serious violations of digital rights, media freedom, and democratic principles at a critical moment in the country’s electoral process,” PIN stated.

Available evidence shows that internet access has been disrupted nationwide, affecting social media platforms, messaging services, and online news outlets.

The disruption occurred despite earlier assurances by the Uganda Communications Commission that there were no plans to shut down the internet during the elections.

“The shutdown represents a troubling reversal of that commitment and raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and respect for fundamental rights,” PIN stated.

The organisation recalled that Uganda has a long history of election-related internet shutdowns, including during the 2016 and 2021 general elections.

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It noted that the 2021 polls were marked by a near-total internet blackout that lasted several days, severely affecting freedom of expression, access to information, election observation, media reporting, and economic activity.

PIN said the decision to repeat such measures, despite widespread national, regional, and international criticism, reflects a persistent pattern of deploying digital restrictions as a tool for election management.

The group also condemned directives barring media houses from covering protests or demonstrations during the election period.

It said the restrictions undermine media freedom and the public’s right to information, while weakening the press’s role as a democratic watchdog.

According to PIN, suppressing protest coverage can lead to the spread of misinformation, escalate tensions, and erode public confidence in the electoral process.

“Article 29 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda guarantees the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of the press and other media, and access to information.

“Uganda is also a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which protect these rights under Articles 19 and 9, respectively.

“Any restriction on these rights must meet the strict tests of legality, necessity, proportionality, and legitimate aim. Blanket internet shutdowns and platform restrictions fail these tests and are incompatible with Uganda’s constitutional and international obligations,” PIN said.

At the international level, the organisation noted that the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, alongside other UN Special Procedures mandate holders, has repeatedly affirmed that internet shutdowns are inherently disproportionate and unjustifiable under international human rights law, including during elections, protests, or periods of political tension.

PIN also pointed to a recent call by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights urging the Ugandan government to keep the internet on and uphold freedom of expression and media freedom during the current electoral period.

“This call builds on established African human rights standards, including Resolution 580 on Internet Shutdowns and Elections in Africa and Principle 38 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, which prohibits States from interfering with access to digital technologies.

“Internet Service Providers and technology companies operating in Uganda also bear responsibility under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to respect human rights, ensure transparency, and avoid complicity in unlawful or disproportionate restrictions on connectivity,” It added.

Calls for immediate restoration

Paradigm Initiative said it is calling for the immediate restoration of full internet access across Uganda and an end to all forms of digital disruption during and after the elections.

It also demanded the withdrawal of directives restricting media coverage of protests, demonstrations, or political developments, and urged Internet Service Providers to be held accountable, including through the publication of transparency reports detailing government orders affecting internet access.

Pinnacle Daily earlier reported that Amnesty International has alleged that Ugandan authorities have engaged in torture, carrying out arbitrary arrests of people ahead of the January 15 general elections.

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, 81, is seeking another term that would extend his more than four decades in power, amid growing accusations that opposition voices are being systematically silenced.

A recent study by members of the African Digital Rights Network shows that internet shutdowns across Africa have doubled, with more than 190 incidents recorded between 2016 and 2024, as previously reported by Pinnacle Daily.

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