Uganda’s 2026 elections are unfolding under a deliberate information blackout. A nationwide internet shutdown, assaults on journalists, and orders for rights groups to halt work have gutted independent scrutiny of the vote. The combined pressure on media, NGOs and cultural actors exposes a deepening digital authoritarianism that directly threatens civic and artistic freedoms in Uganda.
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I work carefully and imperceptibly below the surface when it comes to freedom of artistic expression. Deep down I stand by those who want to break it but remind them of realities above the surface. At the same time, the water becomes shallower. This is my duty as a producer.
(Faisal Kiwewa, Bayimba, Uganda.)
