Misleading: UCC does not intend to shut down the internet again

A TikTok video text circulating on social media claims that UCC intends to shut down the internet again and warns people not to load money into their Mobile Money Accounts.

The video received over 20,000 likes, 128 comments, 138 favourites, 365 shares, and more than 71,000 views.

Fact Check.  With the use of Infoverifier. These are the Findings

We checked the Uganda Communications Commission’s official account to verify this information and discovered that it had been debunked as false and misleading. 

In a phone interview with the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission, Mr Nyombi Thembo, he stated that while the Internet has been partially restored, the Commission does not intend to shut it down. 

He added that as of January 19, 2026, they have yet to restore WhatsApp text messages from before they were restricted. 

See the link here: https://studio.youtube.com/video/5HGC1-Mv4L4/edit.

Verdict.

Misleading: The Uganda Communications Commission does not intend to shut down the internet again, as claimed. Such claims often cause public panic. 

This fact-check was produced by Serina Nagujja with support from the Debunk Media Initiative and BBC Media Action.