General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has declared the "full restoration" of social media services in Uganda, ending a draconian digital blackout that had plunged the nation into information darkness during the contentious election period.

The announcement, made via X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, was framed as a benevolent gesture from the military leadership. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-39)"We are releasing all social media today," Muhoozi tweeted, thanking Ugandans for their "patience." However, for the millions of citizens whose businesses and communications were strangled, the "return to normalcy" feels less like a gift and more like the loosening of a chokehold.

The Anatomy of a Blackout

The shutdown, enforced by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) on the eve of the polls, was justified on grounds of "national security." Critics, however, saw it as a calculated move to cripple the opposition's mobilization tools and prevent the real-time sharing of evidence regarding electoral malpractice.

• The Economic Toll: The blackout cost the Ugandan economy millions of dollars daily. Digital entrepreneurs, mobile money agents, and gig workers were left destitute. The restoration is a tacit admission that the state cannot afford to keep the economy offline indefinitely.
• The Control Mechanism: By turning the internet off and on at will, the regime has demonstrated its absolute control over the digital public square. The "restoration" comes only after the election results—a landslide for Museveni—have been secured and cemented.

The General's Shadow

It is telling that the announcement came not from the Minister of ICT, but from Gen. Muhoozi, the Chief of Defence Forces. It reinforces the perception that real power in Uganda now resides in the barracks, not the cabinet.

As WhatsApp messages begin to tick through and tweets reload, Ugandans are reconnecting to the world. But the precedent has been set: in the new Uganda, the internet is a privilege granted by the military, not a right guaranteed by the constitution.