In a 13 January letter to telecommunications companies, Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo, Ag. Executive Director, Uganda Communications Communication (UCC), ordered Internet service providers to temporarily suspend the operation of the internet. “This suspension should take effect at 7 pm 13 January 2021 and continue until otherwise directed,” read the letter in part.
Advertisement
President Yoweri Museveni defended the shutdown of social media platforms in a 12 January 2021 address as a response to Facebook’s decision to delete several accounts linked to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. Facebook on their end declared that the said accounts were engaged in “manipulating public debate ahead of the elections.”