The shutdown of the internet in Uganda ahead of the country's elections is "deeply worrying", the United Nations has said, stressing the need for open access to information.
"Internet restrictions and suspension of 10 NGOs ahead of elections tomorrow are deeply worrying," the UN human rights office said on X on Wednesday.
"Open access to communication and information is key to free and genuine elections. All Ugandans must be able to take part in shaping their future and the future of their country."
Ugandan authorities shut down internet access nationwide on Tuesday, 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 is widely expected to win a seventh term on Thursday due to his total control over state and security bodies.
Tightening control over NGO’s
In a report issued on Friday, the UN rights office detailed how the Ugandan authorities had used legislation to silence those with dissenting views, including tightening control over NGO’s.
It said security forces had unlawfully used firearms and live ammunition to disperse peaceful assemblies in the lead up to the elections, and to carry out arbitrary arrests and prolonged pre-trial detentions, targeting the political opposition.
‘Widespread repression and intimidation’
On Friday, the UN rights office said the elections in Uganda would be taking place in an environment marked by "widespread repression and intimidation" against the political opposition, rights activists, journalists and those with dissenting views.
"The Ugandan authorities must ensure all Ugandans can participate fully and safely in the election, as is their right under international law," UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement.
"They must... ensure that no unnecessary or disproportionate force, including lethal force, is used to disperse peaceful protests."
He called for those responsible for election-related human rights violations, including unresolved violations from the 2021 elections, to be held to account through fair proceedings following effective, thorough, and impartial investigations.
