The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has warned Ugandans who continue to access Facebook through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that they remain fully liable for any content they post on the platform. The regulator says using VPNs does not shield anyone from being identified or prosecuted.
Dr Waiswa Abudu, the UCC Director of Legal Affairs, delivered the warning during a joint press briefing ahead of the 2026 general elections. “We know you are using VPNs to access Facebook, but that does not mean you are beyond the law,” he said. “We can see what is happening, and when necessary, we can identify who posted what.”
Facebook was blocked in Uganda on January 11, 2021—three days before the general election—after the platform removed several accounts linked to supporters of President Yoweri Museveni and the ruling NRM party. Although access to other social media services like Twitter (now X), Instagram, and WhatsApp was later restored, Facebook has remained officially inaccessible without VPNs.
President Museveni defended the ban at the time, accusing Facebook of bias and interference. He criticised the company for shutting down pro-government pages and insisted that any platform operating in Uganda must give equal space to all users. “We cannot accept this arrogance from anyone who decides for us who is good or bad,” he said in January 2021.
