What it was like for Ugandans cut off the internet for 100hrs for Museveni’s elections

After nearly 100 hours in the digital dark, Ugandans are officially back online following a government-ordered internet shutdown that kicked off ahead of the country’s presidential elections.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) confirmed that full internet access was restored on the evening of Saturday, January 17, just hours after the Electoral Commission announced the final presidential results.

Why the Internet Went Dark

The blackout began at exactly 6:00 pm on January 13 and was rolled out as a precautionary security measure ahead of the January 15 polls. Authorities said the shutdown was meant to curb the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and online activity that could threaten public order or national security during the tense election period.

Museveni Declared Winner

Incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was declared the winner after securing 71.65% of the vote — roughly 7.9 million ballots. His main challenger, opposition leader Bobi Wine, garnered 24.72%, translating to about 2.7 million votes.

With the results now public, internet services have been switched back on, allowing citizens to flood social media and messaging platforms with reactions, debate, and commentary after days of enforced silence.

What Was Affected

Under the UCC directive, all licensed telecom operators and internet service providers were ordered to suspend public internet access. The shutdown affected:

• Mobile data services

• Fibre optic and fixed wireless connections

• Leased lines and microwave radio links

• Satellite internet services

The sale and registration of new SIM cards were also suspended, alongside outbound data roaming within the One Network Area.

Services That Stayed Online

Despite the sweeping blackout, several critical services remained operational under strict controls. These included national referral hospital systems, core banking and interbank transfers, government payment platforms, and Uganda Revenue Authority tax services.

Key government infrastructure — such as immigration systems, voter verification platforms, election result transmission networks, and electoral databases — continued to run on restricted, non-public internet connections.

Essential utilities like electricity, water supply, fuel distribution, aviation control, railway signalling, and transport systems were also kept online through secured channels. Cybersecurity and network monitoring centres were similarly exempt.

Social Media Was Strictly Blocked

During the shutdown, the UCC made it clear that access to social media and messaging apps was completely prohibited. Telecom operators were instructed to enforce tight controls using private networks, whitelisted IP addresses, and secured VPNs limited to approved systems. Mobile VPN services were fully disabled.

With connectivity restored, Ugandans are once again plugged into the digital world — and the online conversation around the election results is already in full swing.