Uganda bans live broadcast of riots ahead of January election

The Ugandan authorities have announced a ban on live broadcasts effective from Monday as part of a move to restrict coverage of unrest ahead of the country’s upcoming election.

The Ministry of Information, Communication, and Technology announced the decision in a statement issued in Kampala. It said the measure applies nationwide and affects television and online platforms.

According to the ministry, “live broadcast or streaming of riots, unlawful processions, or violent incidents is prohibited, as it can escalate tension and spread panic.”

The statement also barred the sharing of content described as “inciting, hateful or violent.”

The ban comes as Uganda prepares for the January 15 election, in which President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to extend his more than 40 years in power.

He is being challenged by Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old pop-star-turned politician. In recent weeks, authorities have detained hundreds of opposition supporters.

More than 50 people were killed ahead of the last election in 2021 during security crackdowns on Wine supporters. They accused Museveni of election fraud, an allegation he denied.

Museveni, who took power in 1986 after leading a five-year rebellion, is Africa’s third-longest-serving ruler. Critics and rights groups have accused his government’s security forces of torturing and intimidating political opponents to maintain power, claims he has denied.

Amnesty International said on Monday that Ugandan security forces had launched a “brutal campaign of repression against Wine’s supporters in the run-up to the election, subjecting them to arbitrary arrests, beatings and torture.”

Government and police spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the statement.

Meanwhile, opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been in prison for more than a year after his detention on treason charges, which he also denied.