Ugandan authorities shut down internet access nationwide on Tuesday, January 13, two days ahead of elections in which President Yoweri Museveni has overseen a crackdown on the opposition as he seeks to extend his 40-year rule.
The 81-year-old leader, who once said African rulers should not overstay their time in office, is widely expected to win a seventh term on Thursday due to his total control over state and security bodies.
But he is taking no chances against a popular opponent, Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old singer-turned-politician, who has drawn large crowds to his rallies despite violent repression from the security forces.
Museveni held his final campaign rally in the capital Kampala on Tuesday, in a grand show most international media were blocked from covering.
Despite the heavy security presence on Tuesday, thousands attended the colourful rally featuring a life-size mascot of Museveni that waved mechanically at the cheering crowds.
Thousands walked to Kololo National Ceremonial Gardens, with many telling Agence France-Presse (AFP) they were only there for the free rice and meat and did not intend to vote for Museveni.
"Your camera is not welcome," an unidentified Special Forces Command (SFC) officer told the reporters.
Rights groups and international monitors say hundreds of opposition supporters have been arrested in the run-up to the election.
Another key opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, who has run four times against Museveni, was kidnapped in Kenya in 2024 and brought back to a military court in Uganda, where he is still on trial.
The internet was shut down around 3 pm local time on Tuesday, AFP journalists confirmed.
The political importance lies in whether the issue moves from public comment into formal action, party response, court record, election authority notice or administrative decision.
