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January 14, 2026 – Uganda –
As Uganda prepares for its January 15, 2026 presidential and parliamentary elections, multiple credible reports document a sharp rise in violence and restrictions targeting journalists, rights groups, and information access, raising serious press freedom concerns.
Independent monitors and the Committee to Protect Journalists note that journalists covering opposition rallies have been assaulted by security forces or other actors, reflecting a broader pattern of intimidation that has long plagued Uganda’s electoral cycles. During this period, authorities also ordered a temporary nationwide internet blackout — a move widely viewed as aimed at curbing information flow and civic participation ahead of voting day, despite government denials of shutdown plans.
In the lead-up to the vote, the state-run National NGO Bureau suspended the activities of several civil society organizations, including the Human Rights Network for Journalists‑Uganda and Chapter Four Uganda, accusing them of activities “prejudicial to national security”; critics argue the measures are part of a broader effort to marginalize independent oversight and reporting on elections and human rights.
Further curbs on media expression include a government ban on live broadcasting or streaming of riots and violent incidents, justified by authorities as necessary to prevent unrest but criticized by press freedom advocates as overbroad and potentially suppressive.
Regional and international human rights offices have highlighted an “atmosphere of repression” in which security forces exercise heavy-handed control over opposition events and civic space, including arbitrary detentions and restrictions on reporters. These dynamics, observed as the country approaches its most contentious election in years, underscore sustained challenges for journalists operating under pressure from both state and non-state actors.
References –
https://cpj.org/2026/01/journalists-assaulted-internet-blackout-ordered-ahead-of-uganda-elections/
