The East African Community (EAC) has expressed its concern on Internet shutdown during the recent polls in Uganda.
The regional organization said this disabled its field observation teams from transmitting their findings to the command centre in time.
"The action by the government also infringed on the freedom and right of access to information as enshrined in the country's Constitution", it said on Monday this week.
The EAC concern's are contained in its preliminary report on the January 14th polls in Uganda released in Kampala last weekend.
The Head of the Mission Domitien Ndayizeye said EAC electronic means of transmitting their observations were "negatively affected" by the shutdown.
The cost of the shutdown, according to a digital rights organization called NetBlocks, could be in the region of $9million.
Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni won the election for the sixth time on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket.
He garnered 58.6 percent of the votes, followed by National Unity Party's (NUP) Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine who polled 34.83 percent.
However, the Uganda polls have been criticised by observers from within and outside the region due to Internet shutdown, among a host of irregularities cited.
Mr. Ndayizeye, who is the former President of Burundi, said the impact was much more felt on the election day which incidentally saw a large turnout.
He called on the Electoral Commission of Uganda to duly register all people aged 18 years and above as eligible voters as per the Constitution.
He urged the Parliament of Uganda to consider legal amendments to regulate campaign financing by introducing disclosure of and ceilings on campaign expenditure.
He added;"We further urge Parliament to consider enactment of regulations to give effect to the use of technology in elections.”
Mr. Ndayizeye further called on the government not to bar the opposition parties and candidates from easily accessing media houses for purposes of political observation.
The African Union (AU), which also sent observers to the Uganda polls said it was generally peaceful and got impressed by the high turn out of women and youth.
The continental body, however, urged the political leaders in Uganda to refrain from acts of violence that can lead to loss of lives and destruction of property in future polls.
"Elections will come and go but Uganda and its citizens will remain. We encourage stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue and to pursue any disputes peacefully", said the head of the AU team Dr. Samuel A. Fonkam.
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