Uganda cuts internet days before presidential election

The blackout comes arsenic President Yoweri Museveni, criticised for cracking down connected opponents, vies for his seventh term.

Ugandan authorities person imposed a nationwide net blackout days earlier statesmanlike elections successful which President Yoweri Museveni is expected to prolong his 40-year rule.

A authorities regulatory assemblage instructed mobile web operators to artifact nationalist net entree starting astatine 6pm (15:00 GMT) connected Tuesday. Internet show NetBlocks aboriginal confirmed a “nation-scale disruption to net connectivity”.

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The web outage has heightened concerns astir repression successful the run-up to the January 15 vote, successful which 81-year-old Museveni, Africa’s third-longest-serving leader, is being challenged by popular star-turned-politician Bobi Wine.

Musevni’s re-election ‘all but locked down’

Ugandan information unit person rounded up hundreds of absorption supporters successful beforehand of the ballot and repeatedly fired unrecorded bullets and teardrop state astatine pro-Wine run rallies. Meanwhile, absorption fig Kizza Besigye, who challenged Museveni successful 4 erstwhile elections, is jailed connected charges of treason.

The United Nations Human Rights Office has criticised Uganda’s authorities for creating an situation of “widespread repression and intimidation” earlier the vote.

Brussels-based International Crisis Group has assessed that Museveni, “with his steadfast grip connected the levers of authorities powerfulness … has re-election each but locked down.”

Wine views his candidacy arsenic a run “against impunity,” reported Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi from Kampala, Uganda. But “he doesn’t judge that helium is going to get a escaped oregon just election.”

Government bans 2 NGOs from operating

Museveni’s authorities said information forces are acting to halt what it described arsenic lawless behaviour by absorption supporters. The Uganda Communications Commission defended the net shutdown arsenic indispensable to “curb “misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks.”

In summation to cutting disconnected the internet, the authorities connected Tuesday ordered 2 section rights groups that person been captious of authorities – Chapter Four Uganda and Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda – to halt their work.

The state-run National Bureau for NGOs accused Chapter Four Uganda of engaging successful activities “prejudicial” to Uganda’s information and “should cease operations … with contiguous effect”.

Kristof Titeca, a Uganda adept based astatine Antwerp University, said the government’s clampdown has made it “too dangerous” for the absorption to efficaciously organise.

“The terms radical person to wage for engaging successful governmental absorption has go precise high,” said Titeca.

Supporters of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni caput to a run rally successful Kampala, Uganda, January 13 [Michael Muhati/Reuters]

Uganda besides blocked net entree during its past predetermination successful 2021 – a ballot marred by reports of authorities unit and electoral manipulation. Authorities had repeatedly promised the net would stay disposable this time, saying arsenic precocious arsenic January 5 that “claims suggesting different are false, misleading, and intended to origin unnecessary fearfulness and hostility among the public”.

In summation to Museveni and Wine, six different candidates are moving for president successful the East African federation of astir 45 cardinal people. Electoral authorities accidental determination are 21.6 cardinal registered voters.