Paradigm Initiative backs landmark suit as Uganda election internet shutdown heads to court 

A major legal challenge has been filed at the High Court of Uganda against the internet shutdown and throttling imposed during the country’s January 2026 general elections, with digital rights organisation Paradigm Initiative throwing its weight behind the case.

The public-interest lawsuit, lodged in Kampala, targets the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and leading telecommunications operators – MTN Uganda Limited, Airtel Uganda Limited, and Tangerine Limited, which trades as Lyca Mobile – over the nationwide disruption of internet access ahead of polling day.

The applicants, who are subscribers to the affected networks, brought the suit under Uganda’s Human Rights Enforcement Act, 2019, seeking urgent interim and substantive relief. The case is currently awaiting the assignment of a hearing date by the court.

According to court filings, internet services across Uganda were abruptly restricted and later shut down between January 13 and January 18, 2026, following directives issued by the UCC. The shutdown coincided with the election period and was carried out without prior notice, public explanation, or a clearly stated legal basis.

The applicants argue that the disruption gravely affected their daily lives, cutting off access to information and undermining professional, academic, economic, and civic activities. They say the shutdown disrupted education, business operations, legal practice, and political participation at a critical moment in the country’s democratic process.

Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a pan-African non-governmental organisation that promotes digital rights and inclusion, is providing strategic and technical support for the case. The organisation became involved after the shutdown was reported on ripoti.africa, its platform for documenting digital rights violations across the continent.

In their application, the plaintiffs contend that the actions of the regulator and telecom companies were arbitrary, disproportionate, and unconstitutional, and violated fundamental rights guaranteed under Uganda’s constitution as well as the country’s obligations under regional and international human rights instruments.

Among the remedies sought are declarations that the internet shutdown and throttling were unlawful and unconstitutional; orders safeguarding against future arbitrary disruptions; compensation for losses suffered during the blackout; and full restoration and protection of internet access.

Legal observers say the case could have far-reaching implications. If successful, it is expected to affirm that internet shutdowns violate constitutionally protected rights such as freedom of expression, access to information, education, livelihood, and political participation. It may also clarify the limits of executive and regulatory powers over internet access, particularly during elections, and reinforce the responsibility of telecom companies to respect human rights under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The litigation is also seen as a significant contribution to regional jurisprudence opposing election-related internet shutdowns in East Africa.

Paradigm Initiative said its support for the case forms part of a broader regional strategy to challenge the use of internet shutdowns as a tool of political control, strengthen constitutional protections for digital rights, and deter future disruptions during election periods across Africa.