Uganda’s government said on Monday it was banning live broadcasts of riots, “unlawful processions” and other violent incidents ahead of an election in which President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to extend his 40-year rule. The authorities have detained hundreds of opposition supporters ahead of the January 15 election, which will again pit the 81-year-old Museveni against the 43-year-old pop-star-turned politician Bobi Wine. “Live broadcasting or streaming of riots, unlawful processions, or violent incidents is prohibited, as it can escalate tensions and spread panic,” the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology said in a statement.
Authorities often describe anti-government protests as riots. The ministry also prohibited the dissemination of any content it described as “inciting, hateful or violent”. More than 50 people were killed before the last election in 2021 in crackdowns by security forces against Wine supporters, who accused Museveni of stealing the election, which he denied.
Museveni, who came to power in 1986 after leading a five-year rebellion, is Africa’s third longest ruling head of state. Critics and rights groups have long accused his government’s security forces of torturing and intimidating opponents to maintain his grip on power, allegations he has denied. Rights group 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.
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Spokespeople for the government and police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the statement. Another major opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, remains in prison more than a year after he was detained on treason charges. He denies the charges.
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