Uganda has announced it will retain restrictions on social media platforms while lifting a nationwide internet shutdown imposed ahead of last week’s general election, hours after President Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner.
The government cut internet access two days before voting began on Thursday, citing the need to curb misinformation. The United Nations criticised the move, describing it as “deeply worrying”.
While most parts of the country remained calm following the vote, reports emerged of small-scale protests late on Saturday after the results were announced. AFP journalists reported hearing tear gas in parts of the capital, Kampala.
By Sunday morning, security forces had largely withdrawn from the streets of Kampala, with residents resuming normal activities and shops reopening.
George Nyombi Thembo, Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission, said social media platforms would remain temporarily blocked to prevent misuse that could threaten public order. He confirmed that broader internet access had been restored and defended the shutdown as “necessary and proportionate”.
According to Thembo, the restrictions aimed to prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation and incitement to violence during a sensitive national period. He declined to give a timeline for the full restoration of access, saying only that the measures would not last longer than necessary.
The election, marked by low voter turnout and heavy security deployment, was widely viewed by analysts as a foregone conclusion, with Museveni maintaining firm control over state institutions and the security services.