MTN and Airtel have reinstated mobile money services in Uganda, bringing relief to millions of users after a seven-day disruption triggered by election-related internet restrictions.
The service restoration follows directives issued ahead of Uganda’s general elections by the Ugandan Communications Commission (UCC), which had ordered limits on internet access, including mobile money and social media platforms, citing public order concerns.
MTN Confirms Restoration of Mobile Money Services
Confirming the development on Tuesday, MTN Uganda notified customers that mobile money transactions were once again available.
“Kindly note that Mobile Money services have been restored. Please proceed with your transactions and share your feedback,” the company said in a message to subscribers.
The shutdown had caused widespread disruption, preventing users from accessing funds for daily expenses and business transactions, and sparking growing public frustration nationwide.
With services now restored, customers can send and receive money, make withdrawals, and complete other mobile money transactions on both MTN and Airtel platforms.
Internet Access Only Partially Reinstated
While the UCC announced on Sunday that general internet access had been restored across the country, restrictions remained in place for several key services even after election results were announced on Saturday.
In a public briefing, UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo said access was restored only to essential services, including:
- General web browsing
- News and information websites
- Educational platforms
- Government portals
- Financial services
However, social media platforms and over-the-top (OTT) messaging applications continue to be temporarily blocked.
“Social media platforms and messaging OTT applications remain restricted to safeguard against misuse that could threaten public order,” Thembo said.
Dispute Over Who Ordered Mobile Money Restrictions
During the outage, uncertainty emerged over which authority was responsible for halting mobile money services.
MTN initially attributed the restriction to the UCC but later issued a correction, clarifying that the directive originated from the Bank of Uganda.
“The mobile money restrictions were issued by the Central Bank, not the UCC. We apologise for the earlier misinformation,” the operator said on Tuesday.
MTN Promises Compensation for Affected Data Users
MTN also addressed complaints from customers whose data subscriptions expired during the shutdown period.
Responding to users on X, the telecoms company said it is reviewing affected accounts to determine appropriate compensation.
“Our technical team is currently analysing the data to determine the appropriate compensation for each affected customer. We expect this process to be completed within one week,” MTN said.
Social Media Access Remains Restricted
Despite the restoration of mobile money services, access to social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok remains officially blocked, according to the UCC.
The restrictions follow the re-election of Yoweri Museveni, who was declared the winner of Thursday’s presidential election with 72% of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Bobi Wine, who secured 25%.
Museveni’s victory extends his time in office by another five years, marking more than four decades in power.
While the restoration of mobile money services has eased immediate financial strain, uncertainty persists over when full internet and social media access will be restored, as authorities continue to enforce restrictions in the interest of public order.
