Paradigm Initiative condemns Uganda internet shutdown, media restrictions ahead of elections

Digital rights group Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has strongly condemned the internet shutdown and media restrictions implemented in Uganda ahead of Thursday’s general election, describing the actions as serious violations of digital rights, media freedom, and democratic principles.

According to the organisation, internet access across Uganda has been disrupted, affecting social media platforms, messaging services, and online news outlets. The shutdown comes despite earlier assurances from the Uganda Communications Commission that the government had no intention of blocking online access during the elections.

“This troubling reversal raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and respect for fundamental rights,” the group said in a statement.

Uganda has a history of using internet shutdowns during elections. In 2021, the country experienced a near-total blackout lasting several days, which severely curtailed freedom of expression, access to information, election observation, media reporting, and economic activity.

Paradigm Initiative also condemned directives preventing media houses from covering protests or demonstrations, saying such restrictions violate media freedom and the public’s right to information. “Suppressing coverage of protests fuels misinformation, heightens tension, and erodes public trust in the electoral process,” the statement noted.

Under Uganda’s Constitution, citizens are guaranteed freedom of expression, press freedom, and access to information. The country is also a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which protect these rights internationally. Paradigm Initiative argued that blanket internet shutdowns and platform restrictions fail the strict tests of legality, necessity, proportionality, and legitimate aim, making them incompatible with both constitutional and international obligations.

The statement also referenced international guidance, including repeated UN calls against internet shutdowns during elections, protests, or periods of political tension, and African human rights standards that explicitly prohibit interference with digital access.

Paradigm Initiative urged the immediate restoration of full internet access across Uganda, the withdrawal of media restrictions, and accountability from Internet Service Providers, including the publication of transparency reports detailing government orders affecting connectivity.

The group concluded that ensuring unrestricted access to digital platforms and media coverage is critical to safeguarding the integrity of Uganda’s electoral process and upholding fundamental democratic rights.