By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)
has condemned the ongoing internet disruptions in Uganda and has called on the
government to immediately restore full access to social media platforms,
blocked websites, and mobile money services.
In
a statement, CIPESA urged the Government of Uganda to cease ordering internet
throttling and shutdowns, warning that such actions unjustifiably deny citizens
their rights to freedom of expression and access to information. The
organisation noted that the disruptions have significantly affected the
public’s ability to conduct business, access public services, participate in
civic and community activities, and maintain social and personal connections.
CIPESA
aligned itself with several independent observers who have criticised the
digital communication disruptions, including the Uganda Law Society, which has
described the actions as unlawful. While acknowledging that the Uganda
Communications Act of 2013 grants powers to the national communications
regulator, CIPESA referenced the Law Society’s position that the Uganda
Communications Commission can only order communication blockages following a
formal declaration of a state of emergency. No such declaration was made when a
nationwide shutdown was ordered two days before the January 15, 2025,
elections.
Government
officials have stated that the disruptions were intended to curb the spread of
online misinformation, electoral fraud, and incitement to violence in the
lead-up to the polls. However, CIPESA pointed to guidance from the African
Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to
Information, as well as global civil society organisations, which affirm that
governments should avoid network disruptions and instead address security or
public order concerns through lawful, necessary, and proportionate measures.
According
to CIPESA, internet shutdowns and restrictions constitute a disproportionate
response that violates Uganda’s constitutional guarantees and its regional and
international human rights obligations, including commitments under the African
Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The
organisation also expressed concern about what it described as a broader
pattern of repression, citing continued attacks on civil society organisations
that appear aimed at silencing independent voices. CIPESA emphasised that a
free, independent, and vibrant civil society is essential to any democratic
society and should not be treated as an adversary of government.
