With Uganda’s general election set for January 15, 2026, the government has banned live broadcasts of riots, “unlawful processions,” and violent incidents in a sweeping media restriction announced within the past 24 hours and widely condemned by rights groups. The Ministry of Information also outlawed the sharing of content deemed to be “inciting, hateful or violent,” a move officials described as necessary to curb unrest and maintain public order ahead of the high-stakes vote in which President Yoweri Museveni, Africa’s third-longest-serving leader, seeks yet another term. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International have criticised the measures, citing a broader pattern of repression that has included arbitrary arrests, beatings, torture and civil society crackdowns, particularly against supporters of opposition leader Bobi Wine, who has emerged as Museveni’s most prominent challenger. Another opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, remains imprisoned on controversial treason charges he denies. Critics note that similar tactics were used during the 2021 election, which saw a deadly crackdown leaving over 50 people dead. The latest broadcast ban risks further undermining press freedom and transparency at a moment when media access and independent reporting are essential for a credible electoral process in a nation long dominated by one leader.
The Ugandan government’s censorship of the riots happening in the country is the restriction of information to stop mobilization and reaffirm domestic stability. As riots continue within Uganda, growing numbers in riots and the jeopardy of the “legitimacy” within the Ugandan government has been a growing concern for elected officials. These semi-draconian laws preventing the spread of information has been seen before in 2021, where 50 people were murdered for their opinions on the government. The lack of efficacy in the government and the inability for the government to control the riots has seen countless deaths which have only made the people more angry. These patterns of the Ugandan government are becoming exponentially concerning. Both unilateral and multilateral approaches by foreign powers have not been taken yet, and surprisingly there has been little inquiry on the situation by foreign officials. With no end in sight, the government’s legitimacy as the death toll rises becomes more and more questionable as time goes on.
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