Uganda breaks silence on internet shutdown ahead of elections

A senior Ugandan government official on Wednesday defended the nationwide internet shutdown imposed ahead of the country’s general elections, saying the measure was necessary to prevent riots and curb the spread of misinformation.

Ugandans are set to head to the polls on Thursday in an election widely expected to hand President Yoweri Museveni a seventh term in office, amid claims of his firm grip on state institutions and security agencies.

Authorities cut off internet access nationwide on Tuesday, despite earlier assurances that no such action would be taken. The move has heightened concerns among observers and rights groups over potential repression and manipulation during the electoral process.

Presidential adviser Hajat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye defended the shutdown, arguing that unrestricted online activity could incite violence.

“Internet creates wars, riots, misinformation,” Uzeiye told AFP.
“They had to shut down the internet because of the misinformation from different stakeholders.”

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations Human Rights Office, which described the shutdown — along with a court ruling earlier this week suspending the operations of 10 civil society organisations — as “deeply worrying”.

Uzeiye, however, expressed confidence in a decisive victory for Museveni, predicting he would secure “at least 70 per cent” of the vote.

“We are not ready for him to leave,” she said.

She also dismissed allegations by opposition leader Bobi Wine, political analysts, and human rights organisations that Museveni runs a military dictatorship marked by violent repression of dissent.

“I won’t call it dictatorship,” Uzeiye said.
“What they are trying to portray to the world is the element of dictatorship without giving any version of the why, the who, the where, and the what.”