The East African Community has deployed a 61-member Election Observation Mission to monitor Uganda’s general elections scheduled for Jan. 15, 2026, as authorities announced a temporary suspension of public internet access and selected mobile services during the election period.
The regional bloc said the mission was deployed following an invitation from the Ugandan government and in line with a directive from the EAC Council of Ministers requiring election observation in all partner states.
The observer team is drawn from EAC partner states and the EAC Secretariat and includes members of the East African Legislative Assembly, officials from electoral management bodies, ministries of foreign affairs, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations.
The mission is headed by Rt. Hon. Ambassador Edda Mukabagwiza, a former parliamentary speaker and cabinet minister with experience in governance and regional affairs.
“We are here to observe and assess the electoral process in an independent, impartial and objective manner, in accordance with the EAC Treaty, election observation principles, the laws of the Republic of Uganda and applicable international standards,” Mukabagwiza said during the launch ceremony.
She said the mission would not interfere in the electoral process or pronounce on election results.
“Our responsibility is to observe, document and report in an objective manner,” she said.
Observers will be deployed across selected regions of the country and will engage with the Electoral Commission, political parties, candidates, civil society organizations, media and security agencies. The mission will assess the pre-election environment, final campaign activities, voting procedures, counting and tabulation of ballots, as well as the transmission and announcement of results.
Separately, Uganda’s election period will also be marked by a temporary suspension of public internet access and selected mobile services, following a directive issued by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) on the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Security Committee. The suspension takes effect at 6 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2026, and will remain in place until further notice, according to a statement signed by UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo.
The directive requires mobile network operators and internet service providers to block public internet traffic, including access to social media platforms, messaging applications, web browsing, video streaming and personal email services. It also suspends the sale and registration of new SIM cards and outbound data roaming services to One Network Area countries.
UCC said the measures are intended to address risks related to misinformation, disinformation, electoral malpractice and incitement that could affect public confidence and national security during the election period.
The regulator said limited connectivity will be permitted only for specified essential services, primarily through non-mobile internet connections. These include healthcare systems at national referral hospitals, financial and payment platforms, government administrative and electoral systems, utilities management, transportation controls, and network monitoring and cybersecurity operations. Access must be restricted to authorized personnel through whitelisted and secured systems.
UCC said operators that are unable to implement the directive must shut down their internet infrastructure for the duration of the suspension, and that non-compliance could result in penalties, including fines and possible license suspension.
EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva said Ambassador Mukabagwiza will serve as the mission’s chief spokesperson and coordinate engagement with national institutions and other observer groups.
She said the regional bloc supports elections conducted in accordance with legal frameworks and in conditions that allow for broad participation.
Deputy head of mission Maina Karobia, also a member of the East African Legislative Assembly, said the observer mission would issue a preliminary statement after the vote, followed by a final report containing recommendations aimed at improving future electoral processes in the region.
After the elections, the mission will submit its findings to the EAC Council of Ministers, the government of Uganda and other stakeholders.
The deployment is part of the EAC’s ongoing election observation program in partner states, aimed at supporting regional commitments to democratic governance under the bloc’s founding treaty.
