The first son and Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has said the government has fully restored access to social media today, Monday, January 26, after weeks of restrictions linked to the January 15 General Election.
In a post on his X account (formerly Twitter) on Monday morning, Gen Muhoozi announced the decision, thanking Ugandans for their patience during the election period.
“We are releasing all social media today. I thank all the great people of Uganda for their support and co-operation throughout this electoral season,” Gen Muhoozi stated.
He added, “You are truly the greatest people on earth and you give us all the courage to serve. God bless you all.”
The announcement follows an earlier government directive issued on January 13, ordering all mobile network operators and internet service providers to temporarily suspend public internet access and selected mobile services ahead of the January 14 general elections. The move was justified on grounds of national security.
Although the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) later announced that general internet access had been fully restored from January 18, it clarified that restrictions on social media and over-the-top (OTT) applications would remain in place until further notice.
The prolonged shutdown sparked criticism from opposition figures, who accused the government of using the restrictions to suppress dissent and limit the free flow of information during and after the elections.
Concerns were also raised by Ugandans who depend on social media for their livelihoods, including content creators, online traders, and digital marketers, many of whom reported losses during the shutdown.
The full restoration of social media brings relief to users across the country, particularly those whose work and businesses heavily rely on online platforms. This category of Ugandans have recorded huge losses in the past couple of weeks and many say they may even fail to take their children back to school and the new academic year opens on February 10.