Uganda Retains Social Media Ban Despite Restoring Internet After Election

Ugandan authorities on Sunday announced that restrictions on social media platforms would remain in place, even as a nationwide internet shutdown imposed ahead of the elections was lifted, hours after President Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner.

Internet access was cut two days before voting began on Thursday, a move the government said was aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation. The decision, however, drew criticism from the United Nations, which described it as “deeply worrying.”

While much of the country remained relatively calm following the polls, reports emerged of minor protests late Saturday after the announcement of results. Journalists in the capital, Kampala, reported hearing tear gas in some areas.

By Sunday morning, security presence in Kampala had visibly eased, with residents returning to the streets and businesses reopening. However, the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), George Nyombi Thembo, confirmed that social media platforms would remain temporarily restricted.

“Social media platforms remain restricted to safeguard against misuse that could threaten public order,” Thembo said, noting that most internet services had been restored.

He defended the temporary shutdown as “necessary and proportionate,” explaining that it was intended to prevent the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, curb potential electoral fraud, and reduce the risk of incitement to violence during a sensitive period.

Thembo declined to provide a timeline for the full restoration of access, saying authorities did not want to commit to a specific deadline. “We do not expect this to last beyond a reasonable period needed to mitigate the risks we are seeing,” he added.

The election was marked by low voter turnout and heavy security deployment, as the government sought to avert protests similar to those that erupted in neighbouring Tanzania during elections in October last year.

Political analysts have long described Uganda’s elections as largely predictable, with President Museveni widely seen as maintaining firm control over state institutions and the security forces.

AFP