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Uganda has announced that it will maintain restrictions on social media platforms despite restoring most internet access hours after President Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner of the country’s general election.
The government had shut down the internet two days before voting began on Thursday, a move authorities said was aimed at curbing misinformation. The decision, however, drew criticism from the United Nations, which described it as deeply troubling.
While the country was largely calm following the announcement of results, reports of scattered protests surfaced late Saturday, with AFP journalists hearing tear gas deployed in parts of the capital, Kampala.
By Sunday morning, security presence in the city had eased, with residents returning to the streets and shops reopening.
Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), George Nyombi Thembo, said social media platforms would remain temporarily restricted to prevent misuse that could threaten public order. He confirmed that broader internet access had been restored, describing the earlier shutdown as necessary and proportionate.
He declined to give a timeline for the full restoration of access, saying the restrictions would not last longer than needed to address perceived risks.
“I don’t want to put an estimate. We are a reasonable agency. We are a reasonable government. We don’t expect this to exceed a reasonable time that will mitigate the risk that we are seeing,” he said.
The election, which analysts have long described as largely symbolic, was marked by low voter turnout and heavy security deployments, as authorities sought to avert unrest similar to protests seen during elections in neighbouring Tanzania last year.
