Ugandans on Wednesday woke up to a blanket internet blackout a day towards voting.
“We wish to inform you that internet services are temporarily suspended per a UCC directive effective 13 Jan 2026 until further notice. We regret the disruption. Updates will follow,’ according to MTN, the oldest telecom in the country.
Over 20 million registered voters are scheduled to queue at various polling stations on Thursday to cast their votes to decide their next President, members of parliament, and local council leaders.
The 81 year old incumbent President Yoweri Museveni is on the ballot representing the National Resistance movement party that seized power in 1986 after a four-year protracted military struggle effectively removing the elected leader who had won elections in 1980 of which Museveni rejected the poll results.
Museveni faces an aggressive challenger, a local musician, Robert Kyagulanyi 43 known by his stage name Bobi Wine. Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform (NUP) political party has promised a revolution in governance and sweeping reforms.
Other Presidential candidates are Frank Bulira, Robert Kasibante, Joseph Mabirizi, Nandala Mafabi, Mugisha Muntu and Mubarak Munyagwa.
The campaign period which has effectively ended has been marked by arrests of critics, intermittent internet disruptions, tear gasing protestors and last minute suspension of the electronic voter system.
