Following recommendations from the Inter-Agency Security Committee, the
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) directed all licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to temporarily suspend public internet access and certain phone services during the election period.
The move was said to be aimed at controlling the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation, reducing the risk of election-related fraud, and preventing incitement to violence all of which could threaten public stability, national security, and the integrity of the electoral process.
Claim
A page on X shared a video clip, claiming it showed what happened after the internet shutdown in Uganda during the general elections on January 15, 2026.
Verdict
JamiiCheck’s digital investigation confirmed that the video is not related to Uganda’s 2026 general election.
Using reverse image tools, it was established that the clip was already
published online in 2016 with the caption:
“Museveni Machinery Caught On Camera With Ballot Papers Ticking In Favor Of Museveni A Night Before Election
” and not in 2026 as claimed.
Additionally, the ballot papers seen in the video closely resemble those used in Uganda’s 2016 general election. They match the dummy presidential ballot paper
displayed by Electoral Commission Chairperson Badru Kiggundu during a press conference at the commission’s headquarters in Kampala.
An official from Uganda's Electoral Commission prepares ballot papers for voters at a polling station in Kampala on January 15, 2026, during Uganda's 2026 general elections. (Photo by Luis TATO /
