Ugandan authorities partially restored internet access after President Yoweri Museveni, 81, was declared the winner of a disputed election that extended his rule into a fifth decade, while social media platforms remained blocked amid protests and opposition rejection of the results.
Users reported being able to reconnect to the internet around 11 p.m. local time (2000 GMT), nearly two days after authorities ordered a nationwide shutdown ahead of Thursday’s vote. Several internet service providers notified customers that services had been restored for business use but that access to social media platforms remained suspended.
“We have restored internet so that businesses that rely on the internet can resume work,” David Birungi, a spokesperson for Airtel Uganda, one of the country’s largest telecom companies, told Reuters. He said the directive came from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), which ordered providers to keep social media blocked.
The state-run regulator earlier said the shutdown was necessary to curb what it described as “misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks.” Opposition groups and civil society organisations criticised the move, saying it was aimed at restricting scrutiny of the vote and limiting mobilisation against the incumbent.
UCC spokesperson Ibrahim Bbosa did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
More Read
On Saturday, Uganda’s electoral commission declared Museveni the winner with 71.6% of the vote, while his main challenger, opposition leader and pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, was credited with 24%. Wine was contesting the presidency for a second time after losing to Museveni in the 2021 election.
Museveni, who first took power in 1986, is already Africa’s third longest-serving head of state. His latest victory means he will have been in office for nearly 50 years when his new term ends in 2031. He is widely believed to be grooming his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba the current head of the military and a vocal political figure as a potential successor.
Wine rejected the election results, alleging widespread fraud and accusing authorities of manipulating the process through arrests, intimidation and the internet shutdown. He has repeatedly denied government accusations that he incites violence.
More Read
A joint election observation mission from the African Union and other regional bodies criticised both the involvement of the military in the electoral process and the decision to suspend internet access.
“The internet shutdown implemented two days before the elections limited access to information, freedom of association and curtailed economic activities,” the observers said in a report released on Saturday. “It also created suspicion and mistrust in the electoral process.”
Scattered protests broke out in parts of the capital Kampala late on Saturday following the announcement of the results, according to a Reuters witness and police statements.
In Magere, a northern suburb of Kampala where Wine lives, groups of youths burned tyres and erected road barricades. Police responded with tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala told Reuters that the protests had been brought under control and that arrests were made, although she did not give figures.
Wine’s whereabouts were unclear early on Sunday. In a post on X, he said he had escaped a military raid on his home. People close to him told Reuters he was staying at an undisclosed location within Uganda. Following the previous election in 2021, Wine was placed under house arrest for several days.
Wine has said hundreds of his supporters were detained in the months leading up to the vote and alleged that some were tortured while in custody. Government officials have denied the accusations, saying those detained broke the law and would be handled through legal processes.
The partial restoration of internet services eased pressure on businesses that rely on digital platforms for payments, logistics and communications. However, the continued blocking of social media limited the ability of Ugandans to share information, organise politically and communicate freely online.
Uganda has previously imposed internet shutdowns during elections, a practice that rights groups say undermines democratic processes and economic activity. Authorities argue such measures are necessary to maintain public order.
As tensions remain high following the disputed vote, observers say the coming days will test Uganda’s political stability and its commitment to democratic norms.
