{"id":4087,"date":"2026-01-28T22:19:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T22:19:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/en\/home\/uganda-defends-security-measures-and-internet-shutdown"},"modified":"2026-01-29T03:35:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T03:35:13","slug":"uganda-defends-security-measures-and-internet-shutdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/en\/policy\/uganda-defends-security-measures-and-internet-shutdown","title":{"rendered":"Uganda Defends Security Measures and Internet Shutdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press. <\/strong> <\/span>The Ugandan government has defended the security measures taken following the general elections, including arrests and the suspension of internet services, while denying accusations of political repression and asserting that the actions were aimed at maintaining public order and combating what it described as \u201ccriminal gangs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Uganda\u2019s Minister of Information, Chris Baryomunsi, rejected claims that the government was using repression against political opponents, arguing that the arrests and restrictions on the digital space were part of a \u201cwar against criminal gangs\u201d that, he said, were hiding behind political activity to stir unrest after the elections held on January 15.<\/p>\n

Baryomunsi said: \u201cThis is not political repression, but the preservation of public order in the face of gangs,\u201d stressing that the state has a responsibility to prevent chaos and protect stability. In his statement, the minister praised what he described as the \u201ccalm of the Ugandan people,\u201d while referring to \u201cisolated incidents\u201d that he said could have threatened public order had security forces not intervened.<\/p>\n

In the same context, the statement congratulated President Yoweri Museveni on his re-election, as well as the ruling National Resistance Movement party on its \u201clandslide victory.\u201d According to observers, the move was intended to reaffirm the legitimacy of the electoral process at a time when opposition forces are challenging the results and local and international criticism over security conditions and human rights in the country is mounting.<\/p>\n

The government maintains that \u201cgangs\u201d are operating under the guise of political activity, although the identity of these groups remains disputed. According to the information minister, these gangs consist of criminal groups \u201cmasquerading as political activists,\u201d mobilized to \u201cundermine security\u201d and provoke clashes with the police. Observers argue that the official narrative deliberately blurs the line between legitimate political activity, incitement, and organized crime.<\/p>\n

Baryomunsi said the government possesses evidence, including images, showing opposition leaders instructing their supporters on how to \u201covercome\u201d security forces. He added that authorities have already arrested a number of suspects and that further arrests will be carried out \u201cin accordance with the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this context, the government directly accused the National Unity Platform party, led by prominent opposition figure Bobi Wine, of being behind the violence. The party rejected the allegations, insisting that security forces are systematically targeting its activists and supporters.<\/p>\n

The information minister did not specify the number of detainees or the nature of the charges against them. However, other government officials have provided controversial figures in recent days. Uganda\u2019s army chief of staff, Muhoozi Kainerugaba \u2014 the president\u2019s son \u2014 said that around 2,000 opposition supporters had been arrested, and reported that 30 people had been killed, without clarifying the circumstances of those deaths.<\/p>\n

Internationally, the United Nations, through Secretary-General Anto\u0301nio Guterres, expressed concern over developments in Uganda, urging the authorities to exercise restraint, respect the rule of law, and uphold the country\u2019s human rights commitments.<\/p>\n

Regarding digital restrictions, the government stressed that the decision to suspend internet services was intended to prevent incitement and information manipulation. Ahead of the elections, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered a temporary shutdown of public internet access and some mobile phone services, based on recommendations from an inter-agency security committee, in order to curb \u201cdisinformation,\u201d \u201celectoral fraud,\u201d and the risk of \u201cincitement to violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Human rights organizations, however, condemned the move, describing it as a broad restriction on freedom of access to information and a tool of political control during a sensitive electoral period.<\/p>\n

To illustrate what he described as the \u201chuman cost\u201d of security risks, the information minister cited incidents in the Butambala region in central Uganda, where election-day violence resulted in several deaths. He argued that the incident confirmed the existence of a real security threat justifying troop deployment and stricter security measures in the post-election period.<\/p>\n

The opposition, for its part, denounces what it calls a \u201cstrategy of criminalization.\u201d Bobi Wine says he has been under pursuit since the announcement of the election results and claims to be living in hiding for fear of arrest.<\/p>\n

Tensions have escalated further in recent days following a raid on the opposition leader\u2019s home. Bobi Wine accused soldiers of attacking his house and assaulting his wife, Barbara Kyagulanyi \u2014 known as \u201cBarbie\u201d \u2014 who said from her hospital bed that she was attacked by armed men searching for her husband.<\/p>\n

For his part, army commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba denied the accusations, stating that the army \u201cdoes not attack women.\u201d Within the National Unity Platform party, some members have expressed fears that the ongoing security operations could also be used to \u201cplant\u201d or fabricate evidence to incriminate party leaders \u2014 allegations that the government firmly denies.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Africa<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press. The Ugandan government has defended the security measures taken following the general elections, including arrests and the suspension of internet services, while denying accusations of political repression and asserting that the actions were aimed at maintaining public order and combating what it described as \u201ccriminal gangs.\u201d Uganda\u2019s Minister of Information, Chris Baryomunsi, rejected claims […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":4086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[120],"class_list":{"0":"post-4087","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-policy","8":"tag-africa"},"yoast_head":"\nUganda Defends Security Measures and Internet Shutdown - Africa Press English<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"-article-header-tag"> Africa-Press. 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