The United Nations has called on Uganda to lift a nationwide internet blackout ahead of Thursday’s general election, describing the restrictions as “deeply worrying.”
The UN Human Rights Office stressed in a social media post Wednesday that “open access to communication & information is key to free & genuine elections.”
“All Ugandans must be able to take part in shaping their future & the future of their country,” it said.
The blackout began Tuesday evening after the Uganda Communications Commission instructed mobile operators to block public internet access, as the country prepared for its 15 January vote. Internet monitor NetBlocks said the nation is “in the midst of a widespread internet shutdown,” warning the move could reduce transparency and increase the risk of vote fraud.
President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces a challenge from pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine. Museveni’s government has been accused of cracking down on critics, arresting opposition leaders and disrupting campaign rallies.
The UN also warned last week that Ugandans would vote amid “widespread repression and intimidation against the political opposition, human rights defenders, journalists and those with dissenting views.”
The Uganda Communications Commission defended the shutdown as necessary to curb “misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks.”
Amnesty International’s Tigere Chagutah called the blackout “a brazen attack on the right to freedom of expression,” highlighting its disproportionate impact on mobility, livelihoods, and access to information.
During Uganda’s last election campaign in 2021, widespread violence left at least 54 people dead, with authorities also cutting social media and internet access.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 17th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine said on Saturday that he escaped a raid by police and soldiers on his home, after authorities denied claims that he had been arrested following Uganda’s presidential election, which was won by veteran leader Yoweri Museveni in a landslide, according to the elector
Here are the latest stories from AnewZ’s Africa News programme, focusing on political and security developments across the African continent.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
Dubai has restricted foreign airlines to one daily flight to its airports until 31 May due to the Iran crisis, raising fears of significant revenue losses for Indian carriers, industry letters show.
Donald Trump’s flagship plan for post-war Gaza has come under scrutiny after reports that its financing is falling short of expectations, claims firmly rejected by the White House-backed Board of Peace.
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, is suing him for libel at the High Court in London, according to a court record published on Friday (10 April).
The European Union and Washington are nearing an agreement to coordinate the production and security of critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday (10 April).
In a forceful rebuke to Washington’s foreign policy in the Americas, a senior Russian diplomat has declared that Moscow will never abandon Cuba, pledging ongoing support to help the Communist-run island overcome a severe energy crisis linked to the United States embargo.
Hungary votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could loosen Viktor Orbán’s 16-year hold on power. His ruling Fidesz faces a strong challenge from Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which has led some polls, though many voters remain undecided.
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