Uganda Imposes Nationwide Internet Suspension Ahead of January 15, 2026 Elections

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has ordered all licensed mobile network operators (MNOs) and internet service providers (ISPs) to temporarily suspend public internet access and select mobile services, effective 6:00 PM on January 13, 2026, with no set end date until further official notice from the regulator.

In a directive signed by UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo, the measures follow a strong recommendation from the Inter-Agency Security Committee and aim to curb the rapid spread of online misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud, incitement to violence, and threats to public confidence and national security during the election period.

Key restrictions include:

•  Suspension of public internet access across technologies such as mobile broadband, fibre optic, leased lines, fixed wireless access, microwave radio links, and satellite services.

•  Halt on the sale and registration of new SIM cards.

•  Disablement of outbound data roaming to One Network Area countries.

•  Blocking of non-essential traffic, including social media platforms, web browsing, video streaming, personal email, and messaging apps.

•  Prohibition on mobile VPN services network-wide.

Operators must implement strict controls and submit details of whitelisted systems immediately, establish 24/7 incident response teams, maintain traffic logs for inspection, and report any issues or breaches within 30 minutes. Non-compliance risks severe penalties, including fines and licence suspension; non-compliant providers must shut down entire internet infrastructure.

Exemptions are limited to non-mobile connections for essential and critical services via secure, whitelisted mechanisms (e.g., dedicated IPs, VPNs, or private circuits), covering:

•  National referral hospital healthcare systems.

•  Core banking, interbank transfers, ATMs, Uganda Revenue Authority platforms, and government payment gateways.

•  Immigration, Electoral Commission secure portals, voter verification, and result tabulation networks.

•  Utilities (electricity, water, fuel), aviation/railway control, and regulated SIM swap/upgrade systems.

•  Network management and cybersecurity tools (NOCs, routing diagnostics, intrusion detection, regulatory portals).

Social media and messaging remain barred even in exempted environments. Restoration will occur in phases only upon explicit written UCC approval.

This is not the first such action in Uganda—similar restrictions occurred during the 2016 and 2021 elections, including a multi-day near-total blackout in 2021 that drew criticism for limiting information access, independent monitoring, and civic participation. Authorities then cited security needs to prevent unrest.

The move aligns with a regional trend in Africa, where partial or full shutdowns have been used around elections and protests in countries like Tanzania, Zambia, and Togo, often justified as preserving order but condemned by digital rights groups for harming transparency, free expression, and democratic integrity.