With just 41 days remaining until Uganda’s January 2026 general election, fresh details have emerged about the government’s efforts to regulate online communication, shedding light on the recurrent internet shutdowns during elections.
The Electoral Commission (EC) confirmed that it recently met with representatives of major international social media platforms, lodging a formal complaint that the platforms are “unruly” and “ungovernable,” and are often used to incite chaos.
Election observers from the African Union (AU) also attended the engagement, which aimed to harmonize guidelines for social media use during elections.
Speaking on the outcome of last year’s meeting, acting EC Secretary Ronald Kamugisha said the government expressed concern over how social media has been used “in certain instances to inspire war and other motives.”
“While they stated their position to the social media platform owners, the government asked them to whip their users, which they declined, saying they do not want to annoy their social platform users,” Kamugisha explained.
“It’s at this point that government explained why it repeatedly switches off the internet during elections.”
The government reportedly tasked the platforms with taking responsibility to “curtail chaotic communication,” a request the social media companies resisted, prioritizing user satisfaction.
Despite these discussions, the EC emphasized that its new technologically-aided biometric systems for voter verification and ballot casting operate independently.
“The commission says much as they cannot advise government on the switch-off or switch-on of the internet, their operations do not require it,” the EC confirmed in a statement.
The EC has begun demonstrating the use of these biometric machines, which are mandatory for voter verification up to the point of results transmission.
Demonstrations have clarified circumstances in which a voter can cast a ballot and conditions under which the system will reject them.
However, a lingering challenge remains: mistrust among the electorate regarding ballot privacy and candidate choice, as the new systems permit scanning of cast ballots.
These ongoing consultations and demonstrations highlight the heightened tension and focus on the integrity and transparency of Uganda’s electoral process, just weeks ahead of the vote.
In January 2021, just before the general elections, the government ordered a widespread internet shutdown, blocking access to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other social media and messaging apps, followed by a complete internet blackout.
When internet service was restored a few days later, all platforms except Facebook were reopened. As of 2024, Facebook remains officially restricted in Uganda.
In practice, many Ugandans—including reportedly some State House staffers—continue to access Facebook via virtual private networks (VPNs).
During the same interface, the Uganda Communications Commission warned that using VPNs to circumvent the shutdown is illegal, and that individuals found doing so may face legal repercussions.