Uganda suspends internet access, halts new SIM card issuance ahead of polls
Uganda has ordered all licenced Mobile Network Operators and related service providers in the country to suspend internet access and outbound roaming calls to One Network Area countries, effective Tuesday January 13 – just two days to the January 15 General Election.
In a letter issued Tuesday by Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) executive director Nyombi Thembo and addressed to the chief executive officers of licenced telecommunications operators , the government has also suspended the issuance of new SIM cards. SIM swaps and SIM upgrades, however, are permitted only within certain regulations.
Additionally, the regulator has also instructed operators to disable mobile Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) services on their networks.
The directive, he said, follows a strong recommendation from the Inter-Agency Security Committee ahead of the elections in which President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to extend his rule beyond four decades.
The suspension is effective 6pm Tuesday – and will remain in force until a restoration notice is issued by the UCC.
“This measure is necessary to mitigate the rapid spread of online misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks, as well as preventing of incitement of violence that could affect public confidence and national security during the election period,” Mr Thembo said.
According to UCC, all non-essential public internet traffic must be blocked during this period.
Public internet traffic includes but is not limited to social media platforms, web browsing, video streaming, personal email services, and messaging applications, among others.
“The suspension applies to Mobile Broadband (Cellular), Fibre Optic, Leased Lines, Fixed Wireless Access, Microwave Radio Links, and Satellite Internet Services,” Mr Thembo added.
According to him, “To safeguard public safety, critical national functions, and the operational integrity of communications infrastructure, a strictly defined exclusion list has been established by the UCC. These exclusions permit continued access to essential services and systems required for network monitoring and management, and is strictly for non-mobile internet services. If operators detect abuse of internet services by excluded services and systems, immediate suspension is required”.
He said access to the excluded systems will be limited exclusively to authorised personnel and implemented through secure, whitelisted mechanisms, such as dedicated IP ranges, VPNs, or private circuits.
Uganda has an estimated 10.6 million internet users, according to UCC data, underscoring the economic and social stakes of connectivity.
During the 2021 General Election, the government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that lasted about 100 hours. According to estimates by TOP10VPN, the restrictions cost Uganda approximately USh390bn, placing the country among the top five globally in economic losses linked to internet shutdowns.
As election day approaches, Bitchat has emerged as both a symbol of digital resilience and a reminder of persistent mistrust over information access during next week’s polls.
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