Uganda: Uganda has announced a “complete” restoration of the Internet and says it has blocked it for “security” reasons before the elections

Madrid, 10 (Europe Press)

The Ugandan government announced, on Wednesday, that the Internet service, which was suspended before the elections and the parliamentary elections on January 14, was “completely” restored in the country, before it defended the decision-making for “security” reasons.

“Internet services and social networks have been fully restored. We apologize for the inconvenience it caused, but it was for the sake of our country’s security,” said Minister of State for Information and Communications Technology and National Guide Peter Ogwang.

Thus, Ogwang claimed on his Twitter account that “they are constructive users and consumers of social networks, not destructive.” Ugandan authorities partially restored internet access on January 18, after President Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner.

The blockade came after Facebook announced the withdrawal of a series of government-related accounts that participated in a disinformation campaign to influence “public debate” in the face of the elections, while linking them to the Ministry of Information.

Afterward, Museveni said the decision to shut down access to social networks was “unfortunate but inevitable” amid complaints from the opposition. The main opposition candidate for the presidency, Robert Kyagolani, denounced the fraud and declared himself the winner, at the same time as he lodged an appeal against the results.

The political crisis in Uganda was exacerbated by allegations of fraud by the opposition National Unity Party. Kyagulanyi was introduced as the main competitor to Museveni, who had led the country since 1986 and secured a sixth term after a series of constitutional amendments to be able to go to the polls.

The elections took place in a particularly tense context due to the increasing repression against the opposition and the killing of more than 50 people in November due to the action of security forces against protesters after the capture of Kyagolani, known as Bobby Wayne, during the campaign event.