Uganda: MPs Demand Answers Over Election Internet Shutdown
Members of Parliament have intensified calls for transparency over the internet shutdown imposed during Uganda’s recent general elections, demanding clarity on who authorized the directive and whether the proper legal procedures were followed.
The concerns were raised during a tense session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where legislators pressed officials from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to present documentary evidence detailing the chain of command behind the controversial decision to switch off internet services.
The committee’s Vice Chairperson, Gorreth Namugga, defended Parliament’s scrutiny of the matter, emphasizing that MPs have a responsibility to pursue answers whenever citizens raise concerns about government actions.
Namugga said widespread complaints from the public regarding the internet blackout and disruptions to mobile money services justified Parliament’s intervention.
Lawmakers also questioned inconsistencies in the testimony of Aminah Zawedde, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, over when she first became aware of the shutdown.
Zawedde initially told the committee that she only learned about the internet switch-off minutes before it occurred. However, she later acknowledged that a public notice had been issued by the Uganda Communications Commission warning the public about the impending shutdown.
The contradictory responses drew criticism from legislators, who argued that the explanations raised further questions about the decision-making process behind the directive.
Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa warned that repeated internet shutdowns during elections risk becoming normalized if the authorities responsible are not clearly identified.
Basalirwa demanded that the ministry present the letter allegedly issued by the National Security Council authorizing the shutdown, saying Parliament must verify that the directive originated from the legally mandated body rather than from individual officials acting beyond their authority.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey Agoi, Commissioner for ICT Infrastructure Development at the ministry, told the committee that mobile money services were not deliberately targeted during the election period.
According to Agoi, disruptions to mobile money transactions occurred as a result of technical complications faced by telecom operators after internet services were switched off.
He also advised the committee to direct detailed questions regarding the shutdown to Nyombi Thembo, the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission, whose agency regulates the country’s telecommunications sector.
However, members of the committee maintained that the Ministry of ICT must first provide Parliament with copies of the official directive instructing telecom companies to disable internet services.
The demand for documentation reflects Parliament’s growing push to establish a clear accountability framework for decisions that affect digital access during electoral periods.
Lawmakers argue that without transparency over who authorizes such directives, public trust in both electoral processes and digital governance could be undermined.
By Nile Post.
